Ministry Staff
Pastor Mark has been at St. Luke’s
since June of 2005. A native of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, he is a
third-generation United Methodist minister. Mark received degrees from Millsaps College, Southern Methodist University and Emory University.
His spouse, Emily, is also clergy, now serving as an associate pastor at Christ UMC in Memphis. This ministry couple has one son, Justin, an
attorney in Jackson, Mississippi, and one daughter, Claire married to Adam Noyce.
Pastor Bee was born and raised in Denmark
where she grew up in the United Methodist Church. Her father was a pastor
and her mother the Executive Director of the Methodist Church Outreach
ministries in Denmark. Birgitte's sister and husband are also ordained
elders in the Danish UMC. Birgitte left Denmark in 1983 and became a
medical missionary to Congo. Here she meet her husband Niels and they
were married in Copenhagen Denmark by her father. Together Pastor
Birgitte and Niels went back to Congo and later on they moved to Algeria
and Nairobi, Kenya where they worked with the Hutu and Tuzie refugees.
In 1997 they moved to Atlanta, GA where Birgitte went to Candler School
of Theology at Emory while she served as Children and Family minister at
Druid Hills UMC. After graduating and ordination Pastor Birgitte was
appointed to Johns Creek UMC north East of Atlanta. Here she served as
the Pastor of Christian Education to a very large and fast growing
suburban congregation. In 2005 Niels and Birgitte moved to Memphis where
her husband is working at Methodist Hospital. Birgitte has served as UT
Chaplin, Associate Pastor at First UMC, Pastor of Union Ave UMC and 5
1/2 years as the Executive Director of FirstWorks. At Easter 2010 Union
Ave UMC and St. Luke's merged and Birgitte is now serving as Minister of
Missions here at St. Luke's UMC. Birgitte and Niels have 2 children
Fletcher who is attending Southwest Community College and Hanna, a freshman at Hendrix.
Beth Ryan, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries
Amy Pearson, Director of Children's Ministries
Jeremy Warner, Interim Director of Music
Michael Masters, The Element Worship Team Leader and Media Specialist
Support Staff
Carla Taylor, Director of Communications
Terrie Witty, Coordinator of Hospitality
Mary Lou Cushing, Assistant Business Manager
Wes Kirkpatrick, Organist
Jeanette Nunis, Child Care Supervisor
Shirley Moore, Food Service Coordinator