About UsStaff
Pastor Eric Murray
Pastor Eric was born and grew up in Forest Park, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. Not a life-long Lutheran, he found himself embraced by a Lutheran congregation after being invited by his childhood friend and neighbor.
A graduate of Georgia State University, Pastor Eric moved to Knoxville where he worked as a physical therapist at Fort Sanders Hospital prior to entering seminary. Upon graduation in 1995 from the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, SC, Pastor Eric received a call to serve Mt. Zion - St. Luke Lutheran in Oglethorpe, GA. In 1999, Pastor Eric was called to a staff ministry at Christ the King Lutheran in Norcross, GA. Pastor Eric has been serving as Messiah's Pastor since July 2004
When not at Messiah, Pastor Eric enjoys spending time with his wife of 20 years, Heidi, their 8 year old daughter, Anna, and the "greatest dog East Tennessee has ever known," Buddy. Pastor Eric is also known to spend time bicycling, hiking, reading and enjoying a good cup of coffee with friends.
Joan McGinnis - Director of Music
Joan McGinnis has been the Director of Music at Messiah since January, 2006. A native of Powell, TN, Joan studied organ with member and former organist, John Brock, Professor of Music at the University of Tennessee where she received her Bachelor of Science in Music Education. Joan has served churches in Knoxville and Memphis, Tennessee, and Warren, Michigan. Prior to coming to Messiah, she was organist at First Baptist Church in Oak Ridge, TN.
Joan teaches organ lessons at Messiah and piano lessons at her home studio in Powell. She has two "furbabies," Charley and Emma, and enjoys spending time with her family, especially her great nephews and nieces.
One of her interests is the visual aspects of the worship space. She has made several paraments and vestments for the churches she has served. She has also contributed to the worship space for the Methodist retreat center at Lake Junaluska, NC, as part of Liturgical Arts Week and Holston Annual Conference. As owner of threads of faith she has also been commissioned to create banners and paraments for churches and pastors across the southeast.
Kristin Kennedy - Administrative Assistant
Kristin has served as Messiah's Administrative Assistant since September, 1995. Prior to moving to Knoxville she served several years at a Southern Baptist church in Virginia Beach, Virginia and also a Lutheran church in Hampton, Virginia. Kristin has an additional eight years of experience working with other nonprofit organizations, such as the Confederate Air Force and Ada Wilson Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. Kristin with her husband Karl have two adult children, Josh and Kelsey. They are members of Grace Lutheran-Knoxville where Kristin sings in the choir and plays handbells. Her special interests include music and scrapbooking.
Allison Pressley - Financial Assistant
| Read more about
Written by Pastor Eric | Last updated August 12, 2008
Written by Pastor Eric | Last updated August 12, 2008
