Staff

Rev. Elizabeth Hagan

Pastor Elizabeth began her ministry at First Christian Athens in August 2021 and was installed as our first female senior pastor in our 148 year history in May 2022!

Pastor Elizabeth began her career as an elementary school teacher after graduating from Samford University in Birmingham, AL. She later attended Duke Divinity School after feeling a call to pastoral ministry. Since completing seminary and ordination in 2006, she has served churches in North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC and Oklahoma in various roles before moving to Georgia.

Pastor Elizabeth is author of two books, Birthed: Finding Grace Through Infertility and Brave Church: Tackling Tough Topics Together that speak to her passion of building communities of faith who know and love one another well. Pastor Elizabeth believes that church should be a safe place of welcome for whoever might feel a pull to be a part of a loving community. She’s known to say that following Jesus is always about actions that show what we believe, not just empty words.

Pastor Elizabeth is married to Kevin. She is mom to two littles: daughter, Amelia and son Andrew who love doing life with her and as a part of the church.

In her free time, Pastor Elizabeth loves writing just for fun, taking in UGA sporting events, going to plays at the Classic Center, and trying new restaurants around town. She’s a 2023 graduate of LEAD Athens and thinks that Athens is the gem of Georgia!

If you have questions about First Christian, Elizabeth looks forward to hearing from you.

Angie Townsend

Since 2016, Angie has served First Christian as a bookkeeper and office manager. Angie and her husband, Chuck, live in Hull. Angie has two sons and  is a devoted grandmother to grandson, Jordan.

Angie can be found in the office Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 9-12 noon. If you have any questions about the church or need assistance in learning about a program, email Angie and she’ll direct you to the answers!

Brooks Todd

Brooks Todd is a singer and multi-instrumentalist originally from Springfield, VA. After moving to Athens in 2019, he earned degrees in vocal performance and music business from the University of Georgia. Brooks has appeared in multiple operas with the UGA Opera Theatre and as a tenor soloist with the UGA Hodgson Singers, Repertory Singers, and Choral Project. Brooks is currently working on recording an album of his own original music.

Brooks joined the Athens FCC community in 2022 as a staff singer with the choir, and is excited to continue to grow with the music program as director, a position he began in the summer of 2023.

If you are interested in learning more about the choir or how you can get involved in the music program of the church, Brooks looks forward to hearing from you!

Alyssa Soriano

Alyssa,  joined the First Christian Church staff in July of 2024 as our new organist.

She grew up in Anderson, South Carolina but moved to Marietta, GA with her family when she was 13.

She  earned a bachelor’s in music in piano performance from Florida State and then came to UGA to begin her masters in music in the fall of 2020. She has stayed on here to earn her doctorate and in the fall will be beginning her 3rd year of her program.

Alyssa has been studying the organ for several years. She was inspired to learn the organ because of the incredible music director and organist at her family’s church, St. Peter Chanel (a Catholic Church) in Roswell. Jane Jackson was of her mentors in this congregation and most of her knowledge on sacred music comes from observing and participating in her choir. She is also greatly inspired by her own organ teacher, Dr. John Coble who serves at First Presbyterian Church of Athens.

Elena Pope

Elena is a junior at UGA who is from Cummings, GA. She is currently studying Entertainment Media and English.

Elena says she loves writing for fun, cooking and exploring art projects as she has time. In the past she has worked at her home church of First United Methodist of Cummings, has also taught swim lessons and babysat regularly. 

It’s Elena’s job to keep the children’s ministry running on Sunday mornings (10-noon) and to plan special activities for the children and their families to get together and get to know one another better.