Staff
You'll see these faces around First Christian on a regular basis. They make everything happen around here.
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 her Masters in Divinity and going through the ordination process 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 and that God’s tent of welcome is always wider than any of us realize!
Pastor Elizabeth is married to Kevin who is a nonprofit executive and together they are parents to two young children: Amelia and Andrew who all are a part of the life of the church.
In her free time, Pastor Elizabeth loves a quiet minute to just be, attending UGA sporting events especially basketball, going to plays or concerts, and trying new restaurants around town. She also is known to bake a good loaf of banana bread. Elizabeth is also a 2023 graduate of LEAD Athens and member of the Athens Rotary Club.
Most of all, Elizabeth thinks that Athens is the gem of Georgia and is happy to plant her family’s life here. If you have questions about getting involved at First Christian, Elizabeth looks forward to hearing from you.
Email Elizabeth
Angie Townsend
Since 2016, Angie has served First Christian as a bookkeeper and office manager at First Christian. She is a friendly face in our office that loves to serve her community through her position at the church.
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 Tuesday- Friday between 9-12 noon.
If you have any questions about the church or need assistance in learning about a program or booking an event at the church, feel free to call the church office and Angie will be glad to get back to you soon.
Nkululeko Zungu
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.
Tabitha Bodie
Tabitha grew up in Bogart and went to Oconee County schools from Pre-k through 12th grade. She came from a big, loving, adoptive family where she learned from her mom the importance of caring deeply for everyone. Being the youngest in her family, she became an aunt very young and started taking care of children.
During the week, she runs an in home daycare for a small group of infants and toddlers. Seeing sweet smiles at her door each morning paired with little giggles filling her house is her absolute favorite thing about her work.
As a child, going to church was Tabitha’s favorite thing to do. She had an excellent children’s director/ mentor who poured everything into instilling faith, courage, love, and compassion into each student and she intends to do the same! She’s passionate about creating a community here within the children’s group wanting each child to feel welcome and thrive.
