Church Staff & Elders
Russ Masterson
senior pastor · Contact Russ
Family: wife, Kristy. Three little girls, Josie, Izzie, and Greta Mae.
Education: BBA in Marketing from UGA. MDIV from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Currently attending Covenant Seminary in pursuit of doctorate degree.
Background: Associate Pastor at The Church of the Apostles
Theology: grace-centric, Reformation founded
Publishing: 40 Days Without Food: divine goodness for a starving soul (2011 / Tyndale House); Adao’s Dance: a search for meaning and peace (2015 / JIG House); Searching for Grace (2021 / Tyndale Momentum)
Music: Mumford and Sons, Coldplay, most things Passion
Movies: yes please
Saturdays: family hike, nap, more of something outdoors, dinner and a movie
Favorite things: a good story, friends, and cookies
Matt Armstrong
Associate pastor · Contact Matt
Family: wife, Stacey. Two girls and a boy, Zoe, Cameron, and Noah.
Education: BS in Industrial Design from Georgia Tech. MDIV from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.
Background: Senior pastor of Village Church of East Atlanta
Theology: Presbyterian
Music: Brandi Carlile, Lori McKenna, Mission House, Keith Jarrett, Darlingside, Ella Fitzgerald, Taylor Swift, U2, The Oh Hellos, Ray LaMontagne
Movies: Knives Out, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Lord of the Rings Extended Version, Pixar, The King’s Speech, Kill Bill: Volume 1 and 2, Kiki’s Delivery Service
Saturdays: Mountain Biking, dinner with friends, mowing the lawn
Favorite things: fountain pens, craft beer, formula 1
Sam Heilig
director of worship · Contact sam
Family: Wife, Rachel; Son, Samuel; Son, Jude
Education: BBA in Finance from UGA
Background: Volunteer worship music leader at Classic City Church in Athens, GA.
Recordings: Something to Live For (2011), Broken Branches (2014), The Forest in the Trees (2018), Come Down (2018), Holy in My Heart (2021)
Music: Jason Isbell, The Lone Bellow, Fleetwood Mac, The Michigan Ordinary, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, Ellie Holcomb, Mission House, OutKast… anything and everything
Movies: Similar to music… anything with a good story!
Saturdays: Most likely hanging out with my family at home
Favorite Things: Friends, UGA football, a great song, pizza.
Annie Petrella
church administrator & Children’s Ministry Coordinator · Contact Annie
Family: Youngest of five. Aunt to ten nieces and one nephew
Education: BA in English from the University of Georgia
Background: Five years experience as a preschool teacher for 3-year-olds
Music: John Mayer, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, and Adele
Movies: About Time, Titanic, Pitch Perfect, and Marvel movies
Saturdays: Coffee, cheering on the dawgs, and listening to podcasts or music on a nice long walk
Favorite things: Reading, UGA football, and my family
Sam rapp
Student Ministry pastor · Contact Sam
Family: Wife, Grace. Youngest of 3 with two older sisters, Kate and Abigail.
Education: BA in Religion from Samford University. Currently attending Reformed Theological Seminary in pursuit of an M. Div.
Background: 2 years of student ministry leadership experience at FPC Marietta in High School. Additionally, 4 years of leadership experience in the college ministry at Iron City Church in Birmingham, Alabama.
Music: Rolling Stones, Otis Redding, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Chuck Berry, Kings Kaleidoscope.
Movies: My love language. Goodfellas, Godfathers, Apocalypse Now, Sorcerer, Wes Anderson, Jaws, Wall-E, Network, The Apartment, Leave Her to Heaven, Scorsese, the Coen Brothers, Kubrick, I could go on forever.
Saturdays: Hanging out with Grace, playing golf, and Georgia football.
Favorite things: The dawgs, a good film, people I love, chess.
keel compton
ministry resident · Contact keel
Family: Wife, Ellie. Older brother to Joe. Son of Brad and Erin.
Education: BBA in Management with a minor in Sociology from Georgia College. Currently pursuing M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary Atlanta.
Background: 2 years of Student Ministry experience at Marietta Community Church in high school and 2 years of Pastoral experience at New City Church Milledgeville in college.
Theology: Reformed
Music: Kendrick Lamar, Talking Heads, Coldplay, CityAlight, The Rolling Stones, A Tribe Called Quest
Movies: The Coen Brothers’ movies, Jaws, The Godfather, High and Low, Heat, Ex Machina, the list goes on…
Saturdays: yard work, homework, going to the movies, hanging by the pool
Favorite things: Friends, golf, letterboxd, poker.
Elder Board
Roger Balko
Owen Farist
Doug Forester
Steve Kirschner
Davis Lee
Russ Masterson
Beau Teague
* Our Women’s Advisory Committee meets with the elders routinely and consults with ongoing issues and development.
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