Colonial Heights United Methodist Church

Margaret joined the ministry team as Director of Youth Ministry in July 2019. She moved into the role of Director of Christian Education and Family Ministry in 2022. Her favorite part of ministry is crafting spaces during vacation bible school, mission experiences, bible study, fun events, or retreats for youth, children, and adults to engage in thoughtful conversation about who God is and how God is calling us to live together. She is a lifelong United Methodist and originally from the South Georgia Conference. She received her MTS from Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC, where she met her husband Caleb, who is an ordained elder in the Holston Conference. Currently, she is a candidate for the Order of Deaconess and Home Missioner, a consecrated and commissioned order for laity in the UMC. [Follow this link to learn more, www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/dhm.] She is a graduate of LaGrange College and served as a US-2, UMC young adult missionary, in Fargo, ND and in Baldwin, LA at UMCOR Sager Brown. Margaret and her husband have two children. 

Fun Fact: When Margaret was 8 years old, she told anyone who asked that she wanted to be an archaeologist. In 2010, she graduated from the University of Bristol, Bristol, England with a MA in Historical Archaeology of the Modern World. 

Joshua began his ministry with CHUMC in May 2021. Joshua is a cradle United Methodist and a pastor's kid. He has been in the Holston Conference his whole life. He began his music career as a saxophone player in the 6th grade. He always wanted to learn to play the piano, but never had the opportunity to take lessons. He taught himself how to read the bass clef and the basics of playing the piano. Between his sophomore and junior years of high school, he moved to Johnson City where his dad served First UMC. That’s when he learned the organ. (Ask for the full story later!) He then went onto college at Asbury University in Wilmore, KY where he obtained a BA in music. While at Asbury, he served on many different student committees, was in multiple ensembles, and was the building/stage manager for the music department.

After his graduation, he went on to obtain a Masters of Music in Music and Worship. During that time he served as a youth volunteer, youth handbell director at First UMC Cleveland, and then 6 years as organist at Fountain City UMC in Knoxville, TN. During his free time, he loves to play golf, only when he hits it straight, bike riding, hunting and fishing, listening to books, and doing puzzles. Joshua is a Dog dad of a precious boy yellow lab named Lucien.  

Katie Jackson grew up as a United Methodist just outside Atlanta, Georgia. She attended the University of Georgia and earned a dual degree in Education and Spanish, and spent her summers working at Camp Glisson, the North Georgia Conference UMC Camp. After completing her undergraduate degree, Katie moved to the Tri-Cities to be on staff at Munsey United Methodist Church, where she served for 14 years in youth and children's ministries. Katie is passionate about prayer and student ministry. She strongly believes that children are not just the church of tomorrow; they are the church today! This conviction led her to seek more theological education. Katie is halfway through a Master of Divinity degree at United Theological Seminary and hopes to graduate in May 2027. Katie is married to Jonathan Jackson. They have two beautiful children, Peter (11) and Isabelle (9), and a cockapoo puppy, Autumn, who Katie is training to be a therapy dog. In her free time, Katie loves to bake, cook, garden, hike, and drink coffee with others. 

Kathy has worked in the financial office at Colonial Heights United Methodist Church since May 2002.  Prior to that she worked for four different businesses where she became interested and gained knowledge in bookkeeping.  She loves working at the church and the interaction she has with the church staff, members of the church, and preschool students, staff, and parents.  She and her husband are very active in their home church.  In her spare time, she likes to travel and make scrapbooks of the places she has been.  She also loves spending time with her three siblings and their families.    

One of her favorite scriptures is Romans 12:21, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good".  She has found that when she is having a bad day or dealing with unpleasant people, her response will determine her attitude for the rest of the day.  Her desire is to reflect the goodness of God.  Another scripture that she likes and is along that same line, is Genesis 50:20, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good."  God always knows what is 'for our good' even when we don't.

Kaela has been the Preschool Director since August of 2020. She has always known she wanted to work in Early Childhood Education. Prior to working at C.H.U.M.P.S. Kaela graduated from ETSU, worked for Sullivan County Schools in their Special Education Department at Rock Springs Elementary School, was a Site Coordinator for the YMCA’s after school program, worked in retail management at Pier 1 imports for 8 years, and taught at a Pre-K in Bristol. In her spare time Kaela loves to be outdoors. She and her husband enjoy hiking, biking, camping, and kayaking to enjoy God’s creation. Kaela considers the preschool at Colonial Heights United Methodist Church to be a ministry that she has been called to serve.  

Mark graduated from ETSU with both his undergraduate degree in French and English with licensure to teach grades seven through twelve and a master’s degree in classroom technology. He went on to pursue both education specialist and doctoral degrees in curriculum and instruction at LMU. He began his piano study at age seven with Jan Vann and continued his study into high school with Will George, both of Kingsport. As a high school junior and senior, Mark studied the piano and organ with Danny Fleming at CHUMC. As a college student, he continued studying the piano with Dr. Lynn Rice-See at ETSU and furthered his organ study with David Estep in Johnson City. Mark has served as interim and substitute pianist / organist at various churches in the Tri-Cities and Morristown areas and was the accompanist for the Salt and Light youth choir of the Holston Conference. He will be retiring at the end of the 2024-2025 school year after teaching French and English for thirty years at Morristown-Hamblen High School West and has most recently led in worship as the pianist and organist at Panther Springs UMC in Morristown. Mark is excited to return to CHUMC as traditional music accompanist and is looking forward to what God is going to do in this next chapter of ministry.