Staff | Morningside Presbyterian Church

Church Staff

General inquiries can be sent to office@morningsidepc.org.

Joanna Adams

Joanna M. Adams

Senior Pastor
404.876.7396 ext. 11
joannamadams@bellsouth.net

Joanna Adams has been Morningside's pastor since 2004. Ordained for almost thirty years, she has served four other congregations, three of which are in Atlanta.

A graduate of Columbia Theological Seminary, Rev. Adams holds an honorary doctorate of divinity from Davidson College and was awarded an Alumni Association Medal of Honor from Emory University.

She currently serves as a trustee of the Presbyterian Church Foundation and as Co-Chair of the Joining Hearts and Hands Mission Initiative of the PC(USA). Formerly, she was a trustee of Agnes Scott College, chair of the Board of Trustees for Columbia Theological Seminary, and an editor-at-large for Presbyterian Outlook. In 2007, she was named Georgia Woman of the Year and was featured in Atlanta Magazine as one of the forty-five most loved Atlantans. She is known for building bridges both in the community and the church. Over the years, she has been especially involved in initiatives to combat homelessness and to build interfaith relations.

She and her husband of forty years, attorney Alfred B. Adams, have a daughter, a son and two grandchildren.

Chris Henry

Chris Henry

Associate Pastor
404.876.7396 ext. 14
chris.henry@students.ctsnet.edu

Chris Henry began working at Morningside as Seminary Intern in April of 2005 and was ordained and installed as Associate Pastor on January 6, 2008. Chris received a Bachelor's degree from Duke University in 2004 with a major in Religion and a minor in Political Science. At graduation, he also received William J. Griffith University Service Award. Chris graduated with a Master of Divinity degree from Columbia Theological Seminary in May of 2007, receiving five honors at graduation included the Wilds Book Prize, Columbia's highest academic honor, and the Harvard A. Anderson Graduate Fellowship, given to the graduating student determined to have the greatest potential for future academic achievement. He also received awards in Biblical Studies, Preaching, and Church History. In addition to his position at Morningside, Chris is part-time Faith-Based Community Organizer for the Georgia Minimum Wage Coalition and a teaching assistant for the Introduction to Preaching Course at Candler School of Theology at Emory University. He also anticipates further graduate work in the areas of New Testament and Preaching and is deeply interested in the intersection of the biblical text and the life of congregations. Chris is engaged to Sara Hayden, a senior at Columbia Theological Seminary. He enjoys sports (especially Duke Basketball), reading, and spending time with Sara and his dog, Breda.

Walter Huff

Walter Huff

Organist/Choirmaster

Walter Huff received his musical education at Oberlin and Peabody Conservatories. He has been Chorus Master for Atlanta Opera's productions since 1988 and has been Organist/Choirmaster at Morningside Presbyterian Church since 1989. He has performed with singers throughout Europe and the United States and served as coach with the Peabody Opera Theatre, Washington Opera, and Baltimore Opera Company. In 1984, he received Tanglewood Music Center's C. D. Jackson Master Award for Excellence, presented by Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has been musical director for The Atlanta Opera Studio, Georgia State University Opera,and Actor's Express. In 2007, Mr. Huff was awarded one of the Loridans Arts Awards, given to those in the Atlanta arts community who have contributed their gifts over a long period of time. In the summer of 2008, at the invitation of Paris Opera Comique, he will travel with the Atlanta Opera Chorus to France and Spain as a part of Porgy and Bess. He maintains a busy vocal coaching studio, working with singers from this area and around the country.

Melinda Sandkam

Melinda Sandkam

Program Director
404.876.7396, ext. 15
msandkam@morningsidepc.org

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Robert Gray

Assistant to the Minister

Robert W. Gray has served as Assistant to the Minister at Morningside Presbyterian Church since 2005. He has lived and worked in Atlanta, GA since 1993.

Robert is a native of Rochester, NH, and served in the U.S. Navy in WWII prior to earning degrees from Gordon College (B.A.) and Andover Newton Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Robert has also earned degrees from Rollins College (M.A.) and McCormick Theological Seminary (D.Min.) and completed courses of study in England and Spain.

Robert has been ordained since 1952 and has served as pastor in eight Churches that include First (Everett, MA) Presbyterian Church, Mullins (SC) Presbyterian Church, Black Mountain (NC) Presbyterian Church, Park Lake (Orlando, FL) Presbyterian Church, Highland (Fayetteville, NC) Presbyterian Church, Winter Park (FL) Presbyterian Church and Covenant (Atlanta, GA) Presbyterian Church. He is Pastor Emeritus of Park Lake Presbyterian Church.

He has served as a member of the Presbyterian World Mission Board, traveling and working in South America, Asia and the Caribbean. His career includes serving as an adjunct faculty member at Montreat College, Black Mountain, NC. He developed an interest in and appreciation for Robert Burns, Scottish Poet, from his Mother and Grandmother, Scottish emigrants. He collects Burns publications.

Cathy Schreiber