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 Reverend Tonya N. Lawrence Associate Pastor
A native of Orangeburg, South Carolina, Rev. Tonya N. Lawrence received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC. She also holds a degree in Fashion Buying and Merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY. In May 2010, Rev. Lawrence received dual Master’s degrees in Divinity and Youth Ministry with a concentration in Women’s Studies from Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, NJ.
Rev. Lawrence has been involved in the lives of many teenagers over the years. She believes very strongly in youth development as the impetus for long-term social change and as such she also believes that it is the responsibility of the entire community to ensure that our youth are positioned for the brightest future possible. She recently lived in Ghana, West Africa where she studied rites of passage for young girls.
Rev. Lawrence has faithfully served the United Methodist Church (UMC) at the charge, annual and general conference levels as preacher, leader, and consultant. Currently, she is serving on the Design Team for Youth 2011, the quadrennial international youth event for the UMC. She has previously served as a Youth Pastor at Cascade UMC, Atlanta, GA, as a member of the Conference Council on Youth Ministry for the North Georgia Annual Conference of the UMC and as a preacher and workshop facilitator for several conference wide events. In addition, Ms. Lawrence has served the community as chair for the S.C.L.C., W.O.M.E.N., Inc.’s “Bridging the Gap” mentoring program for girls and as a board member for Communities in Schools of Marietta/Cobb County.
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 Reverend DR A. Elaine Crawford
A. Elaine Crawford was reared and educated in the Indianapolis public school system. Dr. Crawford has a rich and varied background within the field of theology that encompasses the areas of administration, teaching, preaching, lecturing, writing, and ministry.
Dr. Crawford’s experience in the educational arena has been numerous. She has served as an Adjunct Professor of Theology at Samuel Dewitt Procter School of Theology. Dr. Crawford served as a Visiting Scholar for the Center for Christian Women in Richmond, Virginia. She has been employed by Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia as both Adjunct Professor of Religion and as Assistant Professor of Religion. She served as the Coordinator of the Womanist Scholars Program for the Office of Black Women in Church and Society at the Interdenominational Theological Center. In addition to her parish responsibilities, Dr. Crawford teaches at the ITC in the area of theology, ethics and Christian Education. She was a part of an ITC faculty cluster that developed curriculum for HBCU’s that addresses issues of environmental racism. Additionally, Dr Crawford has taught in the Course of Study Program at Candler Theological Seminary.
Dr. Crawford is an ordained Elder in Full connection in the North Georgia Conference. She served at Ousley UMC for one year, and on the staff and as an Associate Pastor at Ben Hill United Methodist Church for six years. Dr Crawford was appointed as Sr. Pastor of Cumberland UMC June 15, 2007 and served in that capacity for three years. Dr Crawford is vice chair of North Georgia Black Clergy Women, serves on the Advocacy Team, Ethic Local Church Concerns Committee, and Committee on Race and Religion. She has also served on the Committee on Superintendence for the Atlanta Marietta District of the North Georgia Conference.
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 Reverend John Roger Brown Associate Pastor
The Reverend John Roger Brown, Sr. is the former pastor of County Line United Methodist Church and is a part-time faculty member in the Department of Philosophy and Religion of Morehouse College. He is well trained and is known for his teaching, preaching, and administrative abilities. He was born and reared and received his formal education in Hogansville and LaGrange, Georgia.
Reverend Brown is a multi-talented, gifted and well-trained man of God. He holds a Bachelor of Science in education from Albany State University, Albany, Georgia; Master of Education in counseling from Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia; Master of Divinity in ethics and practical theology from Howard University, Washington, D.C.; and a Master of Sacred Theology in missions and practical theology from Yale University, New Haven Connecticut. He also studied abroad several summers in special programs at the Ecumenical Institute under the World Council of Churches in Geneva, Switzerland and at Vatican in sessions with the Pope and staff in Rome, Italy. From September 1, 1997 through December 20, 1997, Reverend Brown lived in community of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland with persons from fifty (50) countries around the world and completed an intensive post-graduate program in ecumenical theology through the University of Geneva, World Council of Churches and the Ecumenical Institute.
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 Reverend Terrilyn Davis Lemons Associate Pastor
Reverend Terrilyn (Terri) Lemons is the daughter of Milton and Loretta Davis. She was born and received her formal education in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. A second career commissioned pastor with expertise in administration, and healthcare. She has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Louisiana, Lafayette, Louisiana; and dual masters from Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia one in Master of Public Health Administration and the other in Master of Nursing - community health. Terri is a Board Certified Registered Nurse and a Board Certified Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner. With more than twenty (20) years of nursing and administrative experience, she has provided healthcare services at Georgia State University and Clayton State University, where she developed the first student Health Clinics and served students, staff, and faculty.
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 Reverend Joyce E. Banks Gross Associate Pastor
The Reverend Joyce E. Banks Gross was born in Denham Springs, Louisiana to Eilor and Leanna Cobb Banks, her first role models. She was educated in the Livingston Parish School System and continued her higher education at Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA where she earned a Bachelor of Science in music, a Master of Education in administration and supervision, and a specialist degree in reading. Before coming to Atlanta for seminary training, Joyce enjoyed retirement as an educator/administrator from the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. She also served her community as a member of the Kiwanis Club, the American Heart Association and the Chamber of Commerce.
Early in her life, Reverend Gross sensed the call to ministry. Following the deaths of her husband of thirty years, Willie Gross, III and her sister, she accepted her call and began the United Methodist Church process for elders orders. Joyce was an active member of Roberts United Methodist Church where she was director of music and served as pianist and choir director. Additionally, she gave leadership in worship and music for the Annual W. T. Handy Convocation, New Orleans, LA and the 2001 session of the Louisiana Annual Conference. As a worshiper, she proclaims, “I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of God’s kindness to me.” (Psalm 34:1)
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