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Rector
The Rev. April Berends

Contact:
​aberends@saygrace.net
Office Phone: 423-698-2433

April's Bio

The Reverend April Berends comes to Grace Church from Christ Church Episcopal of Chattanooga, where she recently served as the vicar.  Prior to coming to the Diocese of East Tennessee, she was the rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Milwaukee for six years.  Before that, April served on the liturgy staff at  the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC. She was ordained in Miami, Florida, where she began her ministry at Trinity Cathedral. Before entering the priesthood, April worked for several years in nonprofit management at a large HIV/AIDS services organization in Miami. 

April began her ministry at Grace Church in December of 2017. She is particularly interested in building relationships within the parish and the wider community, and in helping worshipping communities to listen to the world around us as we discern how God is calling us to engage with our neighborhoods and communities.

April is a graduate of Yale Divinity School/Berkeley Divinity School and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Emory University. She enjoys hiking, cooking, growing vegetables, writing, pottery, photography and exploring both cities and forests. She has been married to The Reverend Drew Bunting for 15 years. Drew is the chaplain at St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School in Sewanee, TN. They have two young children.   

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Associate Rector
The Rev. Zack Nyein

Video Sermon Blog
znyein@saygrace.net

Office Phone: 423-698-2433

Zack's Bio

Following seminary, Zack was assigned to Grace Church, where he has served as Associate Rector since June 2016.  A graduate of Yale Divinity School and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music in New Haven, CT, Zack's academic interests focus on the intersection of theology, worship, and the arts. While in seminary, he served as a chapel minister for daily ecumenical worship and was the organizing missioner for Table on the Green, a Monday night "dinner church."  He also facilitated a number of opportunities for learning across difference as co-president of DivOut, Yale’s affinity group for LGBTQIA divinity students. Zack is passionate about cultivating fresh expressions of church and prior to seminary planted Project Canterbury, a vibrant Episcopal campus ministry at the University of Tennessee (Chattanooga).  He has worked as an apprentice with the 1001 New Worshiping Communities movement of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and currently serves on the advisory group for Genesis, a recently-launched church planting initiative of the Episcopal Church.  Connect with him on facebook and Instagram @zacknyein

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Staff Directory

Director of Christian Formation
Maria Hurt
Contact for:  Children's Ministry, Nursery, Preschool
mhurt@saygrace.net

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Interim Director of Music and Choirmaster
David Long
​dlong@saygrace.net

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Bells of Grace Handbell Choir Director
Jerry Draper
Contact for: Handbell Choir

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Parish Administrator
Paula Garner
Contact for:  Administration, Finance, Membership Information
pgarner@saygrace.net

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Internal Communications
Dabney Carden
Contact for:  Parish Newsletter, Book Store, Rector's Calendar
dcarden@saygrace.net