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”.

Rhett Solomon

The Rev. Rhett Solomon

A native of New Jersey, Rhett Solomon traveled to Atlanta in the fall of 1999 to attend Morehouse College, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science in 2003. After graduating Morehouse, he discerned whether to pursue doctoral work in Political Science or a call to ministry. After much prayer and consultation, he pursued active ministry. A licensed and ordained Baptist minister, Rhett served at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA, from 2005 – 2008, during which time he was admitted to the MDiv program at Candler School of Theology at Emory University, a program he completed in 2009.

In 2008, Rhett left Mt. Carmel Baptist Church to co-pastor Resurrected Church of Atlanta, a non-denominational church plant based in Atlanta. He served the small congregation of Resurrected Church of Atlanta until May 2012 until the church amicably disbanded.

To prepare for this transition, Rhett enquired and was received into The Episcopal Church at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in May 2011. After years of managing a Barnes & Noble Bookstore, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta, Georgia called Rhett to serve as Parish Administrator, a position that he held until July 2021.

In the summer of 2020, Rhett earned his ThM (Master of Theology) from Candler School of Theology. He was ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons on December 19, 2020 and was ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests on June 26, 2021.

Rhett currently serves as Associate Rector at Holy Trinity Parish, where he oversees Children, Youth, and Adult Formation.

Rhett is a divorced father of two beautiful daughters, Charlotte (10) and Skye (8). He loves God, quality time with family and friends, people, and ministry. He enjoys reading, writing, poetry, music, history (African-American, British, United States, U. S. Presidential), mythology, art, traveling, hiking, tennis, swimming, basketball, movies, theater-going, playing board games and cards, and building LEGO sets.

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.

Alana Booker

Gus Braithwaite

Julia Gable

Alison Gibbs

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.

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.

Jeff Lee

Tomina Schwenke

Cindy Stein

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.

Ellen Hopkins

Virginia Milner

Virginia was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. She graduated from Columbus State Community College and has a BA in Business-Marketing from Holy Family University. She has lived in Decatur, Ga for 20 years

I have done industrial sewing for the forestry service for the last 4 years. I teach group jewelry making and sewing classes throughout the Atlanta area and since the start of the pandemic, I have been doing virtual jewelry making tutorials through the Dekalb County Library System.

Why HTP? At first, I was simply looking for part time work in the Decatur area. When I stumbled across the Holy Trinity administrator position it clicked off what I thought were the most important boxes for me; close to home and an office setting. Working with volunteers was the icing on the cake. Then I did some research about the pastor and parish itself- website, facebook page, even some videos- and I was enchanted with what I found. What I didn't know was that I was looking for something that was less of a job and more of a ministry and I’ve found just that at HTP.

As a "Cradle Catholic," God's presence has always been deeply felt in my family and in my life. I was blessed with loving, attentive parents and a large family full of love. God's influence is a steady presence in my life even in the most pressing and trying times. Finding the wonderful HTP community just when I needed it is an indication that God continues to watch over me.

Emmy Brown

I live in Tucker and am a soon to be graduate of Georgia State University with a degree in English. I also am a parishioner here at Holy Trinity and have a background in service based work. I am so excited to see the daily movement of the parish and be a helping hand in the process. I see God's presence through community. I believe that the Holy Spirit works through others in the form of love and kindness to show me God's grace and sovereignty.

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.