Clergy & Staff of GHTC

Read about your Grace & Holy Trinity team members below.

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The Rev. Dr. Brent A. Melton (he/him)

The Rev. Dr. Brent A. Melton (he/him)

Priest-in-Charge

Brent serves as Priest-in -Charge. He was born and raised in the salty waters of Wilmington, North Carolina. Monica and Brent are blessed with four teenage children and a dog who helps in herding us together. His family enjoys being outdoors whether around the James in RVA, the mountains and the ocean. They also love to travel and engage in the Arts, whether in plays, touring museums and playing classical instruments. Brent graduated from the College of Charleston (1998) with a B.S. degree in Elementary Education. He taught fourth grade in Charlottesville, Virginia and Wilmington, North Carolina for three years. He then earned a Masters in Divinity (2005) and Doctor of Ministry in Preaching (2016) from The School of Theology in Sewanee, Tennessee. He has served churches in Fayetteville and Elizabeth City, NC and All Saints in Richmond, VA. He was a Episcopal School Chaplain in Charlotte before returning to the state made for “Lovers”. He is passionate about worship, ecumenical/interfaith and outreach initiatives, while both teaching and welcoming reside at his curious core. He finds so much joy at GHTC, especially in the Red Door Ministry and the PACE Center.

Phone: (804) 359-5628 x17

To email Brent, please choose Brent Melton as the recipient on the form on our Contact page.

The Rev. Marissa Sotos (she/her)

The Rev. Marissa Sotos (she/her)

Assistant Priest

The Rev. Marissa Sotos is a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and is able to serve in the Episcopal Church through our churches’ close ecumenical relationship and agreements. She comes from being employed at  Augsburg Fortress Publishers, where she edited worship and preaching resources – and before that from church planting with young adults. Shes holds a Bachelor of Music in Harp Performance from St. Olaf College, a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, and has a Graduate Certificate in Liturgy from St. John’s Seminary.

She lives in the Fulton neighborhood with her wife Maggie, their two dogs, Xander and Junebug, and their cat, Stella.

Phone: (804) 359-5628 x16

To email Marissa, please choose Marissa Sotos as the recipient on the form on our Contact page.

The Rev. Jenny Montgomery (she/her)

The Rev. Jenny Montgomery (she/her)

Priest Associate

In her 26 years as a priest, she has served parishes in Virginia, upstate New York and Connecticut. Jenny has her doctorate of ministry degree from Virginia Seminary in Ministry Development with a focus on unifying and strengthening parishes, particularly following trauma and conflict. Before retiring to Richmond in 2020, she was part of the Ignatian Spiritual Center at Fairfield University. In 2023 she became a clergy mentor.

Jenny is married to the Rev. Dr. Joe Glaze, also retired, who served American Baptist and UCC congregations in New York, Virginia, D.C. and Maryland. She has two sons plus four step-sons and two step-daughters. She is known affectionately as “Gigi” to her five grandchildren and eleven step-grands. In retirement Jenny enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, baking cookies, walking their lab, Charlotte, writing creative non-fiction and reading a good novel.

To email Jenny, please choose The Rev. Jenny Montgomery as the recipient on the form on our Contact page.

The Rev. Steve Pace

The Rev. Steve Pace

Deacon

Born and raised in Richmond, Steve graduated from Douglas Freeman HS, The University of Richmond and in 2021 from the Deacon School of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. He and his wife, Naomi, have a loving blended family with four children and seven grandchildren. He has had two careers: 25 years in the community newspaper business in Hanover County and 20 years as a realtor. As you come to know Steve, you will find that his spiritual journey has been a long one with a few discerning calls to ministry. Steve will be joining us 15 hours a week preaching, helping to lead worship, and sharing in pastoral care.

Phone: (804) 359-5628 x12

To email Steve, please choose Steve Pace as the recipient on the form on our Contact page.

The Rev. Russ Kerr (he/him)

The Rev. Russ Kerr (he/him)

Campus Minister & Pace Center Student Engagement Coordinator

Russ Kerr (last name, “car”) serves as the Student Development and Engagement Coordinator. He is an ordained P.C.(USA) teaching elder (minister). He has served congregations in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. He is a graduate of Emory & Henry College and Union Presbyterian Seminary. His first degree (and love) was theatre. He is passionate about community building, storytelling, and unlocking creativity. On the weekends you can find him somewhere outdoors and/or with a good book in his hand.

Phone: (804) 658-4064

To email Russ, please choose Campus Ministry as the recipient on the form on our Contact page.

Dr. Elizabeth Melcher Davis

Dr. Elizabeth Melcher Davis

Choirmaster & Organist

Dr. Elizabeth Melcher Davis has served as the Choirmaster and Organist at Grace & Holy Trinity since 2003. Elizabeth received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Performance and Literature at the Eastman School of Music, where she studied organ with Russell Saunders, David Craighead, and David Higgs. As a student of Dr. John Weaver, Elizabeth received the Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School and the Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music as a full scholarship student.

Elizabeth directs the Parish Choir and plays the organ at the 10:30 a.m. worship services, supported by committed volunteers, professional section leaders, and the Assistant Choirmaster and Organist. Dr. Davis also plays the organ at other worship services throughout the year, for funerals, and for weddings. Elizabeth oversees the Children’s Choir and Youth Instrumental Ensemble which present music on Children and Youth Sundays at the 10:30 a.m. worship services and at other worship services such as the Christmas Pageant. Elizabeth organizes and coordinates a concert series which includes performances provided as outreach to our Richmond neighbors. Elizabeth enjoys bringing joy to people’s lives through God’s gift of music.

Phone: (804) 359-5628 x18

To email Beth, please choose Dr. Elizabeth Melcher Davis as the recipient on the form on our Contact page.

Luke Brennan

Luke Brennan

Assistant Choirmaster & Organist

Luke Brennan is a recent graduate of Yale University with a Master of Music in Organ Performance, formerly in the studios of Carole Terry and James O’Donnell. During his studies at Yale, he served as Organ Scholar at Christ Church, New Haven, under the tutelage of Thomas Murray and Thomas Williford, and as choral accompanist for the Yale Repertory Chorus.

In addition, he is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, formerly in the studios of Anne Laver and Nathan Laube, with a Bachelor of Music (BM) in Organ Performance as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics (BA) from the University of Rochester. Prior to matriculating at Eastman, he studied under Christopher Betts, the current Director of Music at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (Houston, Texas) and the former Organist for the Washington National Cathedral and Director of Music at the Church of the Redeemer (Bethesda, MD).

Luke has played solo works and provided organ accompaniment for choirs during tours of Europe, playing at venues such as the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Westminster Abbey, Die Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche, Der Großer Saal Mozarteum Salzburg, and others. He has had the good fortune to work in masterclasses with artists including Matthias Maierhofer, Bruce Neswick, Isabelle Demers, Simon Johnson, Raul Prieto Ramirez, and others, and he is a winner of the 2019 RCYO Potomac Chapter and Mid- Atlantic Regional Competitions.

In his free time, he enjoys learning foreign languages, playing soccer, and is a huge Liverpool and ice hockey fan.

To email Luke, please visit ghtc.org/contact and select “Assistant Choirmaster & Organist” from the drop-down menu.

Abigail Stinnett

Abigail Stinnett

Children's Choir Director

To learn more about Abigail, please read Abigail’s bio on our Music Ministry page.

To email Abigail, please choose Abigail Stinnett as the recipient on the form on our Contact page.

Tyler Storm Brady (he/him)

Tyler Storm Brady (he/him)

Communications Associate (Social Media, Graphic Design & Printing)

Tyler Storm Brady brings a wealth of hands-on experience to the church as a photographer, designer, and creative. His full-time work at GHTC involves branding & graphic design, e-communications, photo & video, print & social media, press management, and more.

Tyler is also an artist and photographer, sometimes instructing at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond.

Phone: (804) 359-5682 x25

To email Tyler, please choose Tyler Brady as the recipient on the form on our Contact page.

Lauren Frazier (she/her)

Lauren Frazier (she/her)

Parish Administrator

Lauren has held support roles throughout her professional career. Her sixteen year background in both public and private sectors has spanned transportation, commerce, and civil engineering. She enjoys balancing her extroverted ‘people person’ personality with quiet time painting, reading and doing crosswords. Lauren can also be found geocaching and bike riding on weekends with her son.

Phone: (804) 359-5628 x23

To email Lauren, please choose Lauren Frazier as the recipient on the form on our Contact page.

Barbara Hobson-Simpson

Barbara Hobson-Simpson

Receptionist

To email Barbara, please choose Barbara Hobson-Simpson as the recipient on the form on our Contact page.

Madeleine Preston (she/her)

Madeleine Preston (she/her)

Director of Formation

Madeleine’s experience in formation began when she was 10 years old and ran a backyard Vacation Bible School for the preschoolers in her neighborhood. Since then, she has worked with young people as a camp counselor, youth leader, and Sunday School teacher.
 
She is originally from the suburbs of Chicago and worked in event planning before moving to Durham, NC to pursue her Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School. During her time in seminary, she worshipped and served at Church of the Holy Family in Chapel Hill, NC, where she sang in the choir, preached, and supported the youth and children’s ministries. 
 
Madeleine is passionate about building intergenerational friendships and helping young people use their gifts to serve the church. Praying with kids and hearing their reflections on Scripture has had a profound impact on her faith. Her favorite Godly Play story is the Great Family (the Abraham and Sarah story), particularly this line: “God was not just here or there. All of God was everywhere.

Phone: (804) 359-5628 x15

To email Madeleine, please choose Director of Formation as the recipient on the form on our Contact page.

Mark Roman

Mark Roman

Sexton

Mark Roman lives only a stone’s throw from GHTC. He is a father of two school aged sons, Mark Jr. and Parker, and enjoys spending time with them working on puzzles and having nerf gun fights. He has an associate degree in electronic engineering from ECPI. Mark is a hard worker coming from a varied professional background with skills that include pipe fitting, general construction, operating machinery in warehouses and even hospitality. Mark also has gifts of kindness and compassion from his work assisting in group homes for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Kathy Schultheis

Kathy Schultheis

Financial Administrator

Kathy Schultheis has a proven track record as a skilled accountant with a passion for serving churches. Together with her husband, she has three children out of the home and two grade schoolers. Kathy is detail-oriented, organized, dependable, and has good listening skills. A faithful person along with a calm personality she will bring continued stability and confidence with her financial skill set.

Phone: (804) 359-5628 x14

To email Kathy, please choose Kathy Schultheis as the recipient on the form on our Contact page.