Jessica Clayton

Spouse: Gash Clayton

Children: Ashton, Mary Seegars and Thomas Clayton

Occupation: Founding Partner, TalentStream, LLC

Member of Christ Church: 11 years

Christ Church Activities:
Annual Giving Cabinet- 2016, 2021, CCEC RFP Special Committee- 2020, Outreach Committee- 2021- current, Youth Working Committee- 2023, Parenting Sunday School Leader- 2022- current
Angel Tree Store Chair- 2021, 2022, 2023, Classroom Angel Chair- 2022-2023 School Year

Question: What do you believe is currently the biggest challenge at Christ Church? Why and how would you address it?

Answer: Over the past few years, we have all watched our church experience somewhat of a revival, and it has been a beautiful and invigorating thing to witness. We are welcoming new members, our church pews are full, our Sunday school classes are often standing room only, and perhaps most importantly we are coming together in so many ways to glorify the Lord and to serve our community.
It is in this revival, this excitement and this JOYFUL community that I believe lies the greatest challenge facing Christ Church today. And that is – how do we maintain this level of excitement and energy? How do we ensure that in a church of 3,500+ members, every single person feels engaged in some way? How do we communicate that whether you are coming to church to learn the Word, to experience healing, to find acceptance, to serve others, or to simply grow in your relationship with Christ that we have a place for you.
I think the answer can be found in our ability to communicate all of the wonderful offerings we have at Christ Church to connect through both in-reach and outreach ministries. In a church as large as ours, we need to allocate more resources to Communications in order to reach our members where they are and personally invite them to participate in meaningful ways. When every member of our church family is working together as the Body of Christ there is no doubt of the impact we can make.

Ron Gregory

Family: Son Earle, Jr. (Kelly) and grandchildren Jane Ellen and Banks

Occupation: Retired professor & business consultant

Member of Christ Church: 61 years

Christ Church Activities: Lay reader & chalice bearer; Vestry; Convention delegate; EFM Mentor; Discovery Weekend Leader; Cursillo Lay Rector; Men’s Spirituality Group; Faith Perspectives Class; Camp Gravatt Board Chair; Diocesan School for Ministry; Committees include Finance, Faith In Action, Long Range Planning, Christian Education; Project Host.

Question: What do you believe is currently the biggest challenge at Christ Church? Why and how would you address it?

Answer: Our biggest challenge is to expand our relevance in a world that seems to pull away from the traditional church. At Christ Church we have a strong connection to our community and a host of resources that we can further develop to support our church family in its interaction with others, in the best Episcopal tradition.
We are blessed to already have a vibrant core of activities and a high level of engagement. We must keep striving to find more ways, more people, more connections, more opportunities for community, while always moving up the scale of inclusiveness.
As our culture continues to strain against the conflicts of modern life, the Church has a special role to play in creating a space that can nurture big solutions. The conflicts are there and the solutions are not automatic. As our communities struggle, our Church family will be called to struggle as well. The next decade in particular will be a challenge, and I ask our leadership at Christ Church to continue our efforts, to not let up and to seek more ways to engage the larger community.

Kathryn Hix

Family: Wesley Hix and Vi Hix. I have been married to Wesley since November 2000; we began attending Christ Church in 2005 and were confirmed together in 2006. Wesley is also active in the parish, most notably as a musician, playing guitar, mandolin, and piano for various Chapel services. We have one child, Vi (15), who is active in youth activities and as an acolyte; Vi also plays guitar with the Markley Chapel Musicians.

Occupation: Higher education

Member of Christ Church: 17 years

Christ Church Activities: Verger, Cursillo (staff, Group Reunion, Ultreya), EDUSC Cursillo Council, GOAL Justice Network, Lay Reader/Chalice Bearer, Sunday School facilitator, Youth Group volunteer, Canterbury Counseling Center Board of Directors, Just Faith facilitator, Episcopal Church Women, Greenville Area Interfaith Hospitality Network, Jasmine Road, Alpha, Children’s Sunday School teacher, Nursery Coordinator, Faith in Action Communications, 20/20 Group, Jubilee Ministry, Young Adult Council, Habitat for Humanity

Question: What do you believe is currently the biggest challenge at Christ Church? Why and how would you address it?

Answer: As we see Greenville continue to grow and change, one of the biggest challenges Christ Church faces is increasing our outreach as a welcoming community, opening our doors to our neighbors and ensuring everyone who steps onto our campus finds belonging. So many of the contemporary concerns that bring us stress and anxiety can find their way into our common lives within the church as well. We as a parish are called to listen, learn, and love as we bring people together to worship and grow in our spiritual lives and in our relationships with one another. The good news is that God is with us in the midst of it all and has been and continues to do great work in our world broadly and in our community specifically. I strongly believe it is important to acknowledge and address concerns and differences then rely on scripture and prayer to direct our conversations and to light our path so that we may love and serve all our neighbors with dignity and respect. My hope is in the wonderful tradition of ministry Christ Church has in Greenville and the way God has guided our parish in providing care for all our neighbors; whether it is through music, worship services, bible study, local and international missions, youth programming, or any of the other opportunities our congregation offers, we have essential ministries to continue to broaden our outreach and bring more and more people to Christ Church to share in our joyful community.

Josh Hudson

Family: Erin Hudson, Children: Charlie, Madigan, and Camp Hudson

Occupation: Attorney

Member of Christ Church: 11 years

Christ Church Activities: Vestry Secretary (2023), 24-25 Annual Giving Chair, Former Faith in Action Chair and committee member, Church basketball coach, Youth Group chaperone, Small group Bible studies

Question: What do you believe is currently the biggest challenge at Christ Church? Why and how would you address it?

Answer: I believe the current biggest challenge at Christ Church is achieving robust parishioner engagement. It’s one thing to get individuals or families involved in Sunday ministry, or church social events, or serving on a church committee or outreach project, or increasing a financial commitment, but to get people motivated to participate in several of these things is a tall task. Some people prefer worship but hesitate to try social outings; others love to volunteer but are not able to make it on Sunday mornings. Before Covid shut everything down, I was on the Faith in Action Committee and we had just come up with “20 for 20,” which was a campaign to get everyone to commit to 20 hours of community service in the year 2020. We pledge our financial commitments, so why not pledge our time commitments each year? Like financial pledges, the hours pledged would be kept confidential, but members could indicate on the pledge cards what types of events they were interested in giving their time and talents (i.e., committees, ushering, outreach, social events). Members would receive periodic reminders of their pledges and those reminders could include upcoming opportunities and how to get involved in them, and staff members would have lists of people they know are interested in helping in their area. Most importantly, the interaction between the amazing members of this community helping in areas they are excited about will have the inevitable ripple effect of stronger bonds amongst parishioners.
Romans 12:4-5: For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Smyth McKissick, IV

Family: Jennifer and one son, Smyth

Occupation: President and CEO of Alice Company

Member of Christ Church: 35 years

Christ Church Activities: Christ Church Endowment Board Member

Question: What do you believe is currently the biggest challenge at Christ Church? Why and how would you address it?
Answer: The biggest challenge, and biggest opportunity facing our church (and any church for that matter), is continuing to grow our community by bringing in new families, and to engage all existing parishioners to participate fully in the many opportunities for involvement at Christ Church. From our dedicated clergy and staff, to our generous membership, to our beautiful grounds, we are fortunate to have ample resources to achieve this goal and continue to live out our core value of being Inviting to All.

Of our church’s many advantages in service of this goal, two areas I would seek to cultivate further are our preschool and our endowment.

As the father of a two-year-old son, I can think of no better way to get young families engaged than to educate their children on our grounds. As a potential Vestry member, I will support growing the preschool to serve the wait list of families eager to bring their children to Christ Church.
The endowment is responsible for 25% of our annual operating budget. In these times of persistent inflation, with average household savings falling below pre-pandemic levels, a healthy endowment has never been more important. By establishing budgeted, recurring funding for valuable initiatives like the Vardry McBee Society, we can ensure the continued growth and financial health of our church. This has been my focus as a member of the Christ Church Endowment Board and will remain so if elected to Vestry.

Mary Holt Murphy

Family: Gunn Murphy Jr., Son: Gunn Murphy, III and daughter in law, Nancy; three children: Gunn IV, Reynolds & McKay

Daughter: Holtie Mitchell and son in law, Richard. Two sons: Woods and James.

Occupation: Wife, Mother, and Grandmother

Member of Christ Church: 41 years

Christ Church Activities:

Past: Sunday School teacher, Bible Studies, ECW board, Interim Rector Search Committee, Organist Search Committee, Altar Guild President, Rector Search Committee, Vestry, Memorial Committee

Present: Altar Guild; Funeral Committee Co-Chair; Memorial Committee

Question: What do you believe is currently the biggest challenge at Christ Church? Why and how would you address it?

Answer: To me, our biggest challenge is staying strongly united as a parish as we continue to discern the will of God.
Regardless of how we feel on specific issues, how do we keep our Christian focus in a world that is so swiftly changing and so incredibly diverse? If our hearts and minds are distracted from God’s will because of this, we’re in a mess.
Education and guidance is imperative for us to stay a strong body of Christ. Communication is key and reviving the art of listening might be a good place to start.
A recent sermon I heard by the Rev. David Meginniss on conflict resolution is a great example and worth sharing. Paraphrasing, David said the first step is to be certain that what we heard was actually what the other person said. We do that by repeating back to them what we thought we heard them say and they can agree or correct what it was we thought we heard. It’s so simple, he said it twice.
Maybe some of you are like me. I’ll go around the block to avoid a conflict. Yet sometimes, it’s in our face and we should learn how to handle it. I think we need to embrace what we hear, equip ourselves to listen and empower our hearts toward resolution so that God’s will can be done.
By God’s grace, we can live into the challenges this world brings us.

Phil Peterson

Spouse: Nancy Peterson

Occupation: Region Vice President, Windstream Communications (retired)

Member of Christ Church: 20 Years

Christ Church Activities: Grounds Committee Member, Usher, Wednesday Morning Men’s Bible Study, Daily Devotion volunteer, Feed Thy Neighbor volunteer, Book Distribution volunteer, Joyful Garden Tour volunteer and garden host (2015), Diocesan Convention kitchen help, 20/20 Group, and past board member of Project Host

Question: What do you believe is currently the biggest challenge at Christ Church? Why and how would you address it?

Answer: Over the past months it has been wonderful to observe some of the new and exciting things that are happening at our church. We have new Sunday school classes like The Pit Stop and Parents’ Sunday School that have helped increase Sunday attendance. We have The Common Table and Clergy Klatch on Wednesday evenings that have been very popular and added to our faith journey. We’ve experienced greater interest in church membership and Discovery Weekend as more people have moved to the Greenville area. And most recently, another new program was launched to serve our community with The Church Street Choral Academy. These classes and programs are just some of the many that I believe have contributed to the enthusiasm and high energy level that we are experiencing at Christ Church. It’s apparent that we have made great progress since the recent pandemic.

I think our challenge at this time is what we should do as parishioners of Christ Church to help us continue with this enthusiasm and high energy level into the future. Jesus gives us some guidance as to how to achieve this in John 21 when he said to Peter, “Feed My Sheep.” This is something more than just providing food. It is caring for others, caring for the church and seeking those that are lost. We also find guidance in our Core Values - Community, Compassion, Faithful, Grateful and Inviting to All. I believe that if we follow the words of Christ and we continue to hold our core values dear in all that we do, then we will overcome any challenge that comes before us.

Angelle Reichert

Family: Chuck Reichert, and children Gayle, Kevin, Christin

Occupation: Retired Pediatric Physical Therapist, Grandmother

Member of Christ Church: 35 years

Christ Church Activities: Altar Flower Delivery, Christ Church Book Distribution, Children’s Sunday School teacher, Women’s Intergenerational Bible Study, Just Faith, GOAL, St. Francis Bible Study, Rector’s Forum, Diocesan Commission on Missions and International Concerns, Annual Giving (Co-chair),
Discovery Weekend (table leader), Centering Prayer, Joyful Garden Tour, Haiti Mission trips

Question: What do you believe is currently the biggest challenge at Christ Church? Why and how would you address it?

Answer: In our 35 years at Christ Church, our family has been ministered to by countless parishioners and clergy in the joys and sorrows of life as well as everything in between. Christ Church is our church home, our extended family. As with any family, our members can have many disagreements which threaten that sense of wholeness, compassion, and unity.

As we worship together, pray together, break bread together, and work together, we have the opportunity to listen to each other’s stories and find common ground in God’s love. We are all God’s children. Let us continue to minister to each other and to those beyond our doors.

Remembering that Jesus answered the scribe’s question as to which is the great commandment in the law, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Let us reach out and carry on the ministry of Jesus Christ.

Betsy Elliott

Family: Michael Elliott and children James, Ann Lowe, and Alice

Member of Christ Church: 56 years

Christ Church Activities: Taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, Kanuga Parish Weekend Chairman, ECW Board, Stephens Ministry, Youth Confirmation table leader, Jasmine Road volunteer, Altar Guild – funeral committee and Eucharist set up, Vestry – Pastoral Care (the last three years), Lay Eucharistic Visitor

Question: Why are you interested in representing Christ Church as a Diocesan Delegate?

Answer: As a lifetime member of Christ Church, my organizational skills and my proactive personality have allowed me to participate in many capacities in our church ministry. The faith and vision as a member of our church is vital for the growth of our parish. Embracing these responsibilities and growing with Christ Church would be my mission as a delegate to our diocese.

In reflecting on my particular talents, I would like to see my strengths used alongside other vestry members to guide our parish to serve Jesus Christ. Serving as a delegate would give me the opportunity to faithfully embrace, empower and equip our parish which is a vital investment in the future of our church.

I would like to represent Christ Church as a delegate to our diocese. I believe our church plays an important role in our Episcopal community.

Dan Sterling

Family: Children Daniel Sterling (22), Sully Sterling (19), CC Sterling, 17

Occupation: Technology Sales focused on Hybrid Technology

Member of Christ Church: 50 years

Christ Church Activities: Acolyte, Church Basketball, EYC, Basketball coach, Usher

Question: Why are you interested in representing Christ Church as a Diocesan Delegate?

Answer: It is always my honor to represent Christ Church in any way possible. When Bern Mebane first asked me about this my question was why me and exactly what a Diocesan Delegate does to serve the Church. I talked to my Mom and others and started to get excited about the opportunity to represent our Congregation in such an important way. Through research I realized that this could be a perfect place for me to use my skill set. As a representative I would spend time listening to our Rector, Vestry and everyone at Christ Church. I would then take the challenges we face and see if others had ideas that could help us with our challenges while at the same time in the places where we are strong help others overcome challenges with the many positive things that Christ Church has to offer. The Networking opportunity at the convention would allow me the opportunity to learn from others while at the same time being an advocate for any specific causes, policies, or issues that Christ Church is passionate about to help drive positive change. I am excited about this opportunity to serve our community in a positive way and use my leadership skills to help OUR Church continue to serve for the next one hundred years and beyond. Thank you for the opportunity.