Our Staff

Prior to joining us, Allen served for 11 years as rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in LaGrange, Georgia. Along with that parish work, he served as a convocational dean, on the Commission on Ministry for the Diocese of Atlanta, and on the faculty for “Learning to Lead,” the diocesan class for clergy in new positions. Teaching, vocational discernment, and learning alongside others are important to his work.

Writing is a passion of Allen's, whether for sermons, articles, or the short novel he's been trying to finish for a few years. He also loves listening to all kinds of music, and like just about everyone on the planet, "Ted Lasso" has become a favorite show. He is a big fan of Liverpool Football Club in the English Premier League and is excited about Charlotte's very own MLS team! Allen and his wife, Casey, have two girls, Abby Grace (16) and Ila (12). As a family they love to travel, and have enjoyed trips to Italy, Ukraine, the Grand Canyon, Northern California, and England. Casey and Allen both like to cook, but perhaps most enjoy hiking and sitting by our favorite north Georgia creek.

After graduating from Yale and Furman Universities with degrees in organ performance and music theory, Ben came to North Carolina to serve as Organist and Choirmaster at First Presbyterian Church in Belmont. In 1992, he became Director of Music and Organist at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church where he was the Founding Director of The Choir School at St. Peter’s. Ben has toured England, France, and the U.S. extensively with his choirs and as an organist. While at St. Peter’s he led the church through the design and acquisition of a new organ, C.B. Fisk, Opus 136. He has served on the Board of Directors and led summer training courses for the Royal School of Church Music in America. In 2017 he became Director of Music and Organist at Christ Church where he works with a strong staff leading choirs of professional and volunteer singers, growing children’s choirs and supporting the contemporary music program to provide a broad range of music for worship.

A passionate and joyful worship leader with a tireless desire to make every service special, Charles brings his 35-plus years of versatility as arranger, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, producer, songwriter, and performer to each service. Having earned his associate in arts degree at NYU and Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance at Berklee College of Music, Charles has released one self-titled album and a recent single, produced albums for Fran McKendree, Kanuga, and other artists, worked as assistant producer on two Disney collections, and as the founder and creative director of the national music ministry, Live Hymnal. He served as Director of Contemporary and Youth Music for 17 years at his former parish, Saint Joseph’s in Boynton Beach, Florida, and currently enjoys side gigs directing music for Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's revivals and occasional conferences, diocesan conventions, camps, and concerts. His love and commitment of combining traditional and contemporary hymns for band and congregation shows in every service. Charles is married to Julie, and they have one son, Ellis.

Raised on the Gulf Coast of Alabama, Connor discerned a call to the priesthood while in college and attended seminary upon graduation. He has previously served as a School Chaplain and on a Diocesan staff. Connor is a poet and writer whose work has been published in a variety of places including The Mockingbird.

He is an Associate of the Order of the Holy Cross, an Anglican, Benedictine monastic community in West Park, New York. He connects with God primarily in silence, the beauty of nature, and stories of grace. Connor makes a home with his wife and two children.

A tenured music historian and writer, David’s love of music led him to develop a meaningful relationship with The Beach Boys, curating and reporting on their history for over 30 years. In addition to writing and designing two official Beach Boys tour programs and designing a VIP hardcover coffee table book, he continues to oversee creative direction of the group’s publication of record, Endless Summer Quarterly Magazine, now in its 37th year. In 2021 he reunited The Beach Boys and their children when co-producing a re-recording of the group’s 1970 recording “Add Some Music to Your Day” with an accompanying music video that he directed to benefit Feeding America. The event was covered by Rolling Stone Magazine. David brings the same passion and commitment to his administrative role at Christ Church. He has witnessed firsthand the healing power of music, and is a firm believer in daily meditation and prayer. A Charlottean since 1979, David is married to wife Gretchen, and has one son, Ethan. 

Originally from Norfolk, Elizabeth moved to Seattle after graduating from the University of Virginia. In the Pacific Northwest, Elizabeth was a middle school teacher, the Director of Christian Formation at Epiphany Parish, and an active co-op preschool parent and community member. Along with her husband Dave and their three children, she returned to the east coast in 2020 to attend The Virginia Theological Seminary. Christ Church is her first call to ordained ministry. Elizabeth's passion is relationships and pastoral care. She can be found sharing meals, on the soccer sidelines, and wherever she can traverse the highs and lows of life together with others.

Joan received her Masters of Divinity degree from the University of the South School of Theology at Sewanee. She has extensive experience in parish ministry, previously serving as the Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Statesboro, Georgia. Prior to becoming a priest, Joan served in the United States Navy and Navy Reserve. She retired at the rank of Commander after 20 years of service.

In addition to her strong passion for outreach, Joan likes being outdoors while hiking, gardening, and participating in community service. She also enjoys traveling, cooking, reading, and spending time with her two cats.

A native of Alabama, Joshua grew up in Tuscaloosa, where he attended the University of Alabama. Joshua spent six years living and working with students in the international schools and faith communities of Geneva Switzerland in the early 2000's. Before moving to Charlotte, Joshua lived in Atlanta Georgia where he attended Emory University, was ordained to the priesthood, and served as an associate for five years at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church.

Joshua is married to Laura and they have two children who keep them on their toes. Joshua is an avid golfer, micro-blogger, and aspiring plotter of goodness.

Katie received her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Mississippi and a Master of Music in Music Education from the University of Florida. In 2014, she received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program research grant to study at the Zoltán Kodály Pedagogical Institute of the Liszt Academy of Music in Kecskemét, Hungary, earning a Diploma from the Institute, and earned her American Kodály certificate from the Kodály Institute at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She has served as the Lower School Music Specialist at National Presbyterian School in Washington, DC and at Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma, Washington. Katie spends her summers on faculty at the Carolina Kodály Institute, where she teaches solfège and musicianship, folk music analysis, and conducts the Institute choir. She has served as a guest clinician and workshop presenter in the Southeast and is an adjunct professor of music at Lenoir Rhyne University in Hickory. Katie resides in Charlotte with her husband Jonathan, son Austin, and two cats, Pop and Crackle.  

Lauren completed her Bachelor of Music in Music Education at Florida State University in 2015 and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2019 with her Master of Music in Opera Theater. During her time at Florida State and The University of South Carolina, she was involved in opera programs, performing lead roles. Lauren began teaching elementary music and voice in the fall of 2015 in Orlando, FL. In addition to her classroom teaching experience, she has also received training in vocal pedagogy and performance at Florida State University and the University of South Carolina. Lauren holds her Level I Orff Certification from The University of Central Florida and her North Carolina Teaching Certificate in K-12 music and currently resides in Davidson, NC, where she teaches general music at Cornelius Elementary. 

Lisa has been on the staff for 35 years and now works one-quarter time. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Virginia Theological Seminary. Her first church was St. Philip’s in Coral Gables, Florida. Lisa is the author of three books, available in the GoodNews Shop at Christ Church: Even at the Grave, The P is Silent, and From Stars to Stable.

She is married to Tim Saunders, a retired pediatric and neuro-ophthalmologist. They enjoy biking, travel, reading, movies and spending time with children and grandchildren.

As Scholar-in-Residence, Dr. Suzanne Watts Henderson teaches, preaches, and serves as a resource for the clergy and spiritual formation teams to foster deeper spiritual growth across the whole parish. Suzanne teaches in large and small group settings including bible studies, discussion groups, and Faith Forum conversations, retreats, and pilgrimages.

Suzanne is an ordained minister (Christian Church, Disciples of Christ), New Testament scholar, Queens University professor, and consultant for Interfaith America, a national nonprofit devoted to unlocking our nation’s religious diversity as a civic asset. Originally from Nashville, she has spent most of her adult life in North Carolina and holds degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill, Princeton Seminary, and Duke. She’s published numerous articles and four books, including New Testament Conversations: A Historical, Literary, and Pluralistic Introduction, and delights in sharing biblical history and story with the faithful, the doubting, and the curious. Suzanne is married to Bob, a local Presbyterian pastor; together they enjoy skiing, hiking, and traveling, especially to visit their adult children in LA, Denver, and DC.