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. 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

The Rev. Ellen Purdum, is our Minister for Evangelism and New Member Integration. She helps welcome newcomers, helps newcomers and current parishioners become more involved in the life of the parish, and spreads the news of HTP in our communities.

Alana Booker

Gus Braithwaite

Julia Gable

Alison Gibbs

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

Laura Manzer

Cindy Stein

Marc Winn

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.

Will Buthod

Will Buthod, pianist, organist, composer, and conductor, has worked in church ministry for the past 26 years. Buthod is known for employing a wide range of styles to fit any given situation, and is in demand in multiple areas, from Gospel to Salsa and Bluegrass. He has served congregations in New York, Paris, Phoenix, and Atlanta, as well as throughout Oklahoma and New Jersey.

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, Autumn Rowe, Nolan Williams, James Abbington, Roland Carter, and André Thomas. He recorded a live album with Grammy-nominated performer Maiysha at the Blue Note jazz club in New York City. During his stint in Paris, France, Buthod was the pianist for the American Ambassador for several years, while serving as Organist/Assistant Choir Director at the American Cathedral and co-founding a touring gospel group.

Buthod’s gospel music background earned him a spot as pianist for the Harlem Gospel Choir, and he has played for such well-known preachers as Al Sharpton, Timothy Wright, James A. Forbes Jr., Johnny Ray Youngblood, and 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. Buthod’s knowledge and understanding of a variety of sacred music and its history has also made him a popular clinician and speaker.

Outside his role as Minister of Music at Holy Trinity, Buthod also serves on the faculty at Candler School of Theology (Emory University), as Director of the gospel choir, Candler Voices of Imani, and as a frequent guest lecturer for the Episcopal and Anglican Studies Program. He is the founder and co-director of Voices Found, a community choir focused on social justice. In addition, for the past four years, Buthod has served as Music Director for the North Georgia Annual United Methodist Conference, the largest UMC conference in the United States. In 2020, he was also chosen to lead the music for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly, and has served similar roles in other statewide and national convocations.

Buthod lives in Tucker, with his wife, Verena, and their two dogs. When he’s not making music, he’s most likely cooking an adventurous dish or out fishing at a lake or pond.

Kyle Bynum

Kyle earned his Bachelor of Arts in Art and Media from Middle Georgia State University and completed a post-bachelor's program in Sacred Music at Virginia Wesleyan University. After college, he taught and directed a graded elementary choral program in St. Simons Island, GA. Since moving to Atlanta in 2017, Kyle has been teaching private lessons in piano, ukulele, and guitar as well as working as an elementary music teacher at a local school. Kyle’s goal as a director of children's choirs is to encourage a lifelong love of music in choristers. He focuses not just on performance, but on understanding music through music theory, history, movement, and listening.

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.

Mung

Pau

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.