Shon Peppers, Family Ministry Pastor
speppers@fpcga.org
Shon was born in Atlanta but has lived in Gainesville since he was four years of age . He is a 1994 graduate of Brenau University where he received a B.S. in Human Resource Management with a minor in History. Before Shon graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary where he earned an MDIV degree during a three year matriculation, he and his wife Lori served as House Parents at a ministry called Eagle Ranch for five years where they walked alongside young men and their hurting families as they worked toward family reunification with a Christ-centered basis. Prior to that, Shon worked for United Parcel Service for eleven years, and Lori was a stay at home mom until feeling led to go into full time ministry. Before UPS, Shon worked as a Hall County Deputy for a just over a year until enrolling into college full time. Shon also served as a Sergeant in the United States Army Reserves for six years and is very appreciative for that experience and his time of service in the military.

Shon’s hobbies include reading, fishing of any kind, fly tying, golfing, canoeing, camping and anything outdoors that is even remotely adventurous. His favorite hobby is spending time with his wife Lori; their sons, Thomas and Jonathan; their two dogs, Bailey, a black Labrador retriever, and Heidi, a Parson wired hair terrier and one cat, Mr. Floyd. They do all types of things together as a family but mostly just hang out and enjoy one another and their time together.

Shon has been on staff at First Presbyterian Church since August 2009. His current area of responsibility is Family Ministry and sharing the love.

Lori Peppers, Youth Director
lpeppers@fpcga.org
Lori has been a member of First Presbyterian for a number of years. She leads the Youth Ministry Team effectively and has many great ideas about involving youth in God's work.  Lori takes care of the day to day Youth Director tasks including arrangements for mission trips, fun activities, and Sunday School as well as reviewing curriculum for small groups.  She helps coordinate the Sunday Night Youth Synago lineup of classes and assists and participates in those as well.   Lori and her husband Shon have two sons in the Youth program, Thomas and Jonathan.
 

Ali Thompson, Children's Ministry Director
athompson@fpcga.org
(coming soon)
 

Michael Henry, Director  of Music  (click here for detailed information about Mike Henry>>>)
mhenry@fpcga.org
Michael Henry, a native of Bowling Green, Kentucky, has served as Director of First Presbyterian's Music Ministry since 1992. Mike directs the church's Chancel Choir, Chancel Ensemble, Primetime Singers, Crusader Choir, Kingdom Choir and youth ensembles.

A graduate of Murray State University in Kentucky, Mike earned his masters degree from Baylor University. His choral mentors were Robert Baar and Robert Shaw.  He studied orchestral conducting under Daniel Sternberg.  During the 1990s, he was a member and occasional soloist with the symphonic and select choruses directed by the late Robert Shaw in Atlanta and in New York. Mike and his wife, Susan Bolen, have two daughters, Phalan and Lillian.

Hope has been a member of First Presbyterian since about 1976.  She contributes to our music program not only through handbells but she also sings in the Chancel Choir.  She majored in Music at Brenau University in Gainesville, GA.  After teaching music at 4 elementary schools on a rotating basis for several years, she returned to school to earn a masters in education.  Since then she has taught Middle School math and is currently teaching at Chestatee Middle School.  Hope has played handbells since she was very young and learned under a wonderful director, the late Sue Morris. She actually started handbell program here at FPC and continues to provide beautiful handbell music all year long.  Hope's husband is John Testement and they have two sons, Caleb and Micah.