The Pastors, Rev. Denny Read and Rev. Noelle ReadBiographical Summaries of Our Co-Pastors Denny grew up in the greater Atlanta area attending Shallowford Presbyterian Church. He is a graduate of The Citadel with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Columbia Seminary. Denny’s experience includes serving as a summer ministry intern in Kenya in 1998. He completed a multi-year Clinical Pastoral Education Program and Chaplaincy Residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. Denny graduated from Columbia and was ordained in 2002. For the past seven years, Denny has served as the Co-Associate Pastor at South Highland Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama, with primary emphasis on Youth and Worship. SHPC is a 900 member congregation, where he had primary responsibility for developing and presiding over the contemporary service weekly, in addition to assisting in the other traditional services. As the pastoral liaison for the membership unit, he helped redesign the new member class and evaluate how to do more effective outreach to the surrounding community. Denny is a thoughtful, engaging Pastor with a warm sense of humor. He is the proud father of four-year-old Ethan and enjoys playing the bagpipes.
The Reverend Noelle H. Read Noelle grew up in Anderson, South Carolina, as a member of Central Presbyterian Church. She graduated from Winthrop College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. After completing her undergraduate degree, she worked in the insurance industry in Charlotte, before exploring ministry by serving as a PCUSA mission volunteer in 1994. Assigned to a small United Reform Congregation in London, England, she ministered to the elderly and mentally ill in that role. Upon her return, Noelle entered Columbia Seminary and served as Chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. She completed the basic Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. after graduating and being ordained in the summer of 1999. Noelle served two years as the Resident in Parish Ministry for a 3,800 member suburban congregation in Indianapolis. Her other experience includes serving as a Youth Director, Director of Young Adult Ministries for First Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, prior to becoming the Co-Associate Pastor at SHPC. Her primary responsibility was Young Adults and Discipleship. She planned and implemented educational programs for young singles and young families in addition to teaching, preaching and sacraments, local mission oversight and training leaders for ministry. Noelle is Ethan’s Mom. Her excitement for ministry and service to others can best be described as contagious!