Who We Are

The Rev. Greg Tallant

Father Greg (or Greg – either is fine) is the Rector of Holy Trinity Parish. The Rector is a priest of the church and the senior pastor. Father Greg leads the Vestry (governing board), working with them to provide vision and inspiration for the parish, and oversees the staff.

Greg is a 1992 graduate of Presbyterian College and a 2007 graduate of The General Theological Seminary in New York City. Prior to Holy Trinity, Greg served at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Rome, Georgia. Greg and his wife Emily are both rooted for many generations in Georgia, and have two sons, Andrew and James.

Hear and read some of Fr. Greg’s sermons. Listen to Fr. Greg’s podcast “A Priest’s Life”.

The Rev. Jenna Faith Strizak

Mother Jenna (or just Jenna, whatever you prefer) is the Associate Rector at Holy Trinity. As a priest of the church, she teaches and preaches, administers sacraments, and shares many holy conversations over coffee and at hospital bedsides. Mo. Jenna is a priest to the whole parish, but especially to children and their families. She oversees pastoral care at Holy Trinity, and has a particular interest in Christian formation.

Jenna graduated from Hampshire College in Amherst, MA and Candler School of Theology at Emory University. She’s an avid Sacred Harp singer and loves long road trips. Before her ordination, Jenna worked as a hospice chaplain, college admissions officer, and sold t-shirts and CDs at concerts.

The Rev. Ellen Echols Purdum

Ellen (or Mother Ellen, whichever you prefer) is Assistant Dean of Student Life and Spiritual Formation at the Candler School of Theology, where she works collaboratively with faculty, staff and student leaders to enrich student services, programs and activities at Candler, and where she also spends a lot of time listening deeply to the lives of students. On her best days she hopes that these different aspects of her work help to foster opportunities where spiritual and vocational formation—in their many and diverse varieties—will enhance students’ theological education and preparation for ministry and service.

Before going to seminary she was a high school teacher at the Westminster Schools in Atlanta, where she taught English and service learning courses for seniors. Ellen also worked for a number of years at the Fund for Theological Education, which got her interested in young adults and vocation. When she is not at her day job at Candler, Ellen loves serving as an assisting priest at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Decatur, being quiet at the Green Bough House of Prayer, a retreat center in southern Georgia, or at home in Decatur with her husband and a rescued rat terrier named Hannah.

Berkeley Boone

Your name: Berkeley Boone
Who lives with you? My wife, Nancy
Who/what else lives with you (animals of infinite variety)? Nancy and I are hibernating about 25 snakes for our older son, a DNR Environmentalist/Naturalist. Other than that, our previous (and many) pets have not been replaced.
How long have you lived at your current home? Twenty-eight years.
How far do you live from church? Eight and ½ miles.
How far do you commute to work & what work do you do? We are both retired. I enjoy my position as HTP’s Treasurer, am restoring a 49 year-old Honda motorcycle, enjoy handyman projects here and at others’ homes, have volunteered with several groups for construction projects and food service, and enjoy activities with our three adult kids and four granddaughters. I also enjoy trying to make the most of our investments for us and for interests that we support.
What do you do that’s not work? (See above!)
When did you join Holy Trinity? We first attended in July, 1973, and I became an Episcopalian in May, 1977.
What service do you attend most often (8:00 or 10:30)? 10:30
What are 3 spiritual practices that nourish and sustain your relationship with God? Daily devotions and prayer, weekly attendance at church and Sunday School, bi-weekly participation with the Brotherhood of St Andrew and monthly participation with a national group that is active in intercessory prayer.

Dawn Diedrich

Anna Edwards

My name is Anna Edwards and I am the Preschool Vestry person. I have been a part of Holy Trinity for 10 years and a visitor since I was in college. Many of you may know me from serving as the Hagar’s House meal coordinator.

I am thankful for all of my many blessings and I am passionate about the preschool as I am the mother to an alumni (Isak) and the mother of a current student (Augie). I strongly believe in the philosophy and spiritual mission statement of our preschool and wish to grow and support the school in any way possible. Thank you for your support.

Estelle Hinde

Jason Hingerton

I’m originally from Miami, Florida where I grew up as a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Parish in Coral Gables, Florida. I moved to Atlanta in 2000 to attend Georgia Tech where I met my wife, Jaimee. We started attending Holy Trinity around 2014 after moving to East Atlanta a few years prior. As a member of the vestry my responsibilities are the buildings, making sure they are maintained and comfortable for the congregation.

Roy Johnson

Officers of a parish. Two wardens are typically selected to serve with members of the vestry. The wardens are generally ranked “senior” and “junior.” The mode of selection and duties of the wardens are determined by state law, diocesan canon, or parish by-laws. The senior warden is usually the primary elected lay leader of the congregation, and serves as a principal liaison between the parish and the rector. The junior warden is often given responsibility for the upkeep of the parish buildings and grounds. The senior warden typically presides at vestry meetings in the absence of the rector, and the junior warden presides at vestry meetings if both the rector and the senior warden are absent. In case of clerical vacancy, the senior warden may be the ecclesiastical authority of the parish for certain purposes. In the BCP service for the Celebration of a New Ministry (p. 559), the wardens begin the institution at the beginning of the service by addressing the bishop. They express the congregation’s intent to welcome the new minister and state that the new minister has been selected in a prayerful and lawful manner. If the new minister is the rector or vicar of the congregation, a warden may present the keys of the church to the new minister during the induction ceremony. In some parishes, the senior warden is known as the “priest’s warden,” and the junior warden is known as the “people’s warden.” Historically, in the Church of England, one warden was named by the priest and the other chosen by the congregation.

Chris Manzer

Brad Myers

Jennifer Price

Tomina Schwenke

Marc Winn

Sara Yurman

Will Buthod

Will Buthod, Minister of Music, has been in music ministry professionally for 22 years. Pianist, organist, composer, and conductor, Buthod employs a wide range of styles to fit any given situation and stay rooted in the worship experience. He has served congregations in New York, Paris, Phoenix, and Atlanta, as well as throughout Oklahoma and New Jersey. His past ministries included everything from Roman Catholic Cathedrals to storefront Pentecostal churches, from giant communities to much smaller parishes. However, the Episcopal Church holds a special place in Buthod’s heart, after having served in Episcopal churches for years in New York and Paris.

As a performer, Buthod has won numerous competitions and awards, including the Albert Schweizer National Organ Competition, the Tulsa Young Artist Competition, and the Charlotte Bagnall Scholarship for Church Musicians. He has performed with or recorded for such artists as Jimmy Heath, Denyce Graves, Martina Arroyo, Ben Vereen, Jay-Z, Fat Joe, Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, Mashonda, Maiysha, and Autumn Rowe. He recorded a live album with Grammy-nominated performer Maiysha at the Blue Note.

With a gospel music background, Buthod earned a spot as pianist for the Harlem Gospel Choir, and has played for such well-known preachers as the Rev. Al Sharpton, the Rev. Timothy Wright, Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr., the Rev. Johnny Ray Youngblood, and Bishop Albert Jamison, Jr.

As a composer, he has composed over 300 works, from classical trios to R&B tunes, which are performed regularly throughout the country and abroad. In addition, Buthod’s knowledge and understanding of a variety of sacred music and its history, has made him in demand as a clinician and speaker.

Outside of Holy Trinity, Buthod serves as the Worship Leader for The Table Atlanta and on the Executive Board of Capitol City Opera. He also loves spending time with his wife, Verena, and their two dogs.

Sarah Christian

Sarah administers the day-to-day running of Holy Trinity and works closely with clergy, staff, and parish leaders to support their ministries. She came to Holy Trinity in June 2003 after serving parishes in Austin, Texas, and Columbus, Georgia.

In addition to her Diploma in Voice and a teaching degree from Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University) in Springfield, Sarah earned a Master of Music in Voice Performance from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, and a Master of Music in Opera from the University of Texas at Austin. She says that managing an opera stage and a parish office are surprisingly similar. When not at Holy Trinity, Sarah enjoys reading, walking, puzzles, hanging out with grandchildren, and singing in the Evensong Choir at St. Bartholomew’s.

Ellen Hopkins

Amanda Vaughn

My background is in communications and administration with religious and other non-profit institutions. I have worked mostly in Episcopal churches in a variety of capacities and have a real heart for this ministry. I also serve on the Diocese of Atlanta Commission on Ministry. My husband, Chad, is the rector of St. Bede’s, Atlanta, where we worship along with our twin daughters, Lucy and Maggie. I’m a native Atlantan (born on Peachtree Street), was raised Presbyterian (graduated from Presbyterian College), but was found and embraced by the Episcopal Church which I have come to love.