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Staff at Mount Vernon
The Rev. James H. Irwin, Jr.
Interim Pastor/Head of Staff
jirwin@mvpchurch.org
A native of western Pennsylvania, Jim was called by session in May 2007 to serve Mt. Vernon as Interim Pastor/Head of Staff. Jim has a BA from Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut and an MDiv from Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He has served as Pastor/Head of staff in Jackson, Tennessee, Cincinnati, Ohio, Fairborn, Ohio, and Westfield, New York. Since retiring to Atlanta, he has served interim pastorates at North Decatur Presbyterian Church, Conyers Presbyterian Church, Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Stone Mountain, and St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Tucker. He and his wife, Alberta, have three grown sons and three grandchildren. He enjoys attending athletic events, the symphony, and the opera.
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The Rev. Ronald J. Gilreath
Associate Pastor / Adult Education, Pastoral Care
ron@mvpchurch.org
Ron and his wife Melisha are the parents of two adult daughters, Bethany and Kathleen. A native of Fayetteville, NC, he is a graduate of Methodist College (BA), the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (MA), and Columbia Theological Seminary (MDiv), and has done postgraduate study in the areas of Christian spirituality and older adult ministry. Ron serves the larger church as a member of the Senior Adult Ministry Committee of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, as a member of the Planning Team for the 2007 Montreat Life Long Living Conference; and as chair of the Planning Team for the 2008 Montreat Life Long Living Conference. He came to Mt. Vernon in 1998 from First Presbyterian Church of Gastonia, NC where he was Associate Pastor. In his leisure time Ron enjoys traveling, reading and chasing that little white ball (otherwise known as golf) |
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Dr. Carol M. Strickland
Associate Pastor / Communications
carol@mvpchurch.org
Carol is a native of Greensboro, NC and a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill (BA), Yale University Divinity School (MDiv), and McCormick Seminary (DMin). Before her call to Mt. Vernon in 1987, she was Associate Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, St. Joseph, MO. She and her husband Jack have two children, Alexander and Anna. Hobbies include reading, cooking, and art. Carol’s position at Mt. Vernon is half-time. |
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Elizabeth Small
Director of Ministry to Youth and Their Families
elizabeth@mvpchurch.org
Elizabeth came to Mt. Vernon in 1998 from nine years of serving as Director of Youth Ministries at Faith Presbyterian Church, as well as Area Director of Young Life, in Seminole, Florida. She has a degree in English from Vanderbilt University, as well as a Master's Degree in Theology with an Emphasis on Youth Ministry from Fuller Seminary. Elizabeth was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. Special interests include theatre, music, movies, tennis, football, and caring for her cats, Emma and Sam. |
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Julia Lehmann
Director of Ministry to Children and Their Families
julia@mvpchurch.org
Julia is a native Virginian and grew up in Portsmouth. She graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kansas, with a BA in Spanish. Julia also holds a Master's degree in Christian education from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, in Richmond, VA. In her nearly 20 years as a Christian educator she’s served churches in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, and now Georgia. In her spare time she enjoys reading – nearly anything, but especially mysteries and scifi, watching movies with friends, doing crafts, taking walks and being with her “furry” children – Marvin, a big tuxedo cat, and McGregor, his sister, a beautiful taupe and gray tabby. |
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James M. Wingate
Minister of Music / Organist
jim@mvpchurch.org
An organist for more than 40 years, Jim has been involved in music administration, choral and orchestral conducting and arranging, teaching, and working as a recording engineer, record producer and studio musician. Prior to coming to Mt. Vernon, he served as Minister of Music at three different Baptist and Presbyterian churches in New York City. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oklahoma Baptist University and a Master of Sacred Music degree from Southern Seminary in Louisville, KY. Jim has four children and seven grandchildren. Hobbies include amateur radio, computing, camping, and installing a Moller pipe organ in his home. He also serves as Director of Educational Technology for the Lovett School in Atlanta.
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Sherri Dyson
Informal Worship Music Leader
sherriddyson@yahoo.com
Sherri provides music leadership for the band, vocalists, and congregation for First Cup Informal Worship and Fellowship each Sunday morning at 9 am in the Fellowship Hall. She has many talents and, in addition to singing, is a public speaker, songwriter, author, and marketing specialist. Previously she has served Baptists and nondenominational churches is Florida. Currently she is also Music Associate for the Saturday evening contemporary service at Christ the King Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Norcross. She has two young children, a son named Preston and a daughter named Paris.
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Ann Edmondson
Children’s Choir Director
ann@mvpchurch.org
Ann was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. In 1986 she and her family immigrated to the United States and settled in the Atlanta area. She received her B.S. from Atlanta Christian College in 1996 and has been teaching music since. She has taught at Mt. Zion Christian Academy in Jonesboro, GA; Community Christian School in Stockbridge, GA; and is now teaching primary music at Woodward Academy in College Park. Ann is also a Kodaly I certified teacher, a member of the GA ACDA, and MENC. For the last twenty-two years Ann has been a church musician, both as a pianist and as a choir director. In 2005 and 2006 she was the guest conductor of the Hallelujah Chorus for the combined choir at the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta's Multi-Cultural Christmas program. She also had her own choir perform there in 2005. Ann's husband, Tom, and sons, Nate and Nick, are also pleased to be a part of MVP Church! |
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Don Paul
Business Administrator
don@mvpchurch.org
Don was born in Selma, Alabama and grew up in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Okinawa, Colorado and Texas as the son of an Air Force Colonel. He received his BCE degree from Georgia Tech and his Master’s in Industrial Administration from Purdue University. Don worked for Brown and Root, Accenture, Georgia Pacific, and The Home Depot prior to joining MVPC in 2003. Don’s hobbies include all sports, with special interest in softball and golf. Don and his wife Rixey have 2 children, a daughter, Olivia, and a son, Jeremy, and have been members of Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Church since 1994.
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Pat Yost
Secretary
pat@mvpchurch.org
A native West Virginian, Pat graduated from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA with a double major in French and Business Administration. She has worked at several companies including Kimberly-Clark and Citicorp,and was office manager at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church before coming to Mt. Vernon. Pat has two adult children, a daughter, Julie, ane a son, Chris, both of whom live in the Atlanta area. Pat feels fortunate to spend weekdays at Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Church and on Sundays attends St. Anne’s Episcopal Church. In her leisure time she enjoys cooking, playing tennis, attending sporting events, reading, and spending time at her family’s mountain home in Blairsville. |
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Symone Evans
Secretary
symone@mvpchurch.org |
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Nicole Kalume
Financial Secretary
nicole@mvpchurch.org
Born in Brussels, Belgium, Nicole's family is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo (Central Africa). She received her BA in Business Administration form Vanguard University of Southern California in Costa Mesa, CA. Nicole also holds a Master in Theological Studies with emphasis in Old Testament Studies from the same institution (VUSC). Prior to joining MVPC in 2007, she worked in accounting for McKinsey & Company, The Home Depot, The Coca-Cola Company and Lucent Technologies. Nicole and her husband Jean-Blaise have 2 daughters, Zoë and Rhema, and are deacons at their church, New Covenant Christian Church of Atlanta. She is fluent in French, Swahili and Lingala.
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Willie Thomas
Lead Custodian
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