Meet Our 2027 Deacon Nominees
As Northminster prepares to elect new deacons, we asked our six nominees to share a little about themselves, their families, what brought them to Northminster, where they are involved in church life, and a favorite Northminster memory. We hope these glimpses help you get to know Valerie Linn, Lee Parrott, Gates Skene, Kyle Watson, Chris Wiggs, and Amy Williams a little better.
Valerie Linn
Who is in your family?
My three sons, Luke, Jake, and Matt Warren, all grew up at Northminster. I now have two amazing daughters-in-law, Jean and Melissa, and two bright and beautiful granddaughters, Harriet and Everett!
What led you to Northminster?
Jim Warren and I joined Northminster after moving to Jackson in 1988. We were expecting our first child and knew it was time to find a church home. Northminster was between pastors at the time, but being with the people at Northminster felt right for our young family.
What is one area of church life where you’re involved?
Children’s education. Helping our children learn about God’s love for them and others is joyful, moving, and inspirational.
What’s a favorite Northminster memory?
There are many! One is being ordained as a deacon. Another is driving a van full of rowdy youth to Passport camp through Atlanta traffic in a driving thunderstorm! It may not necessarily be a favorite memory, but I surely felt God’s hand on that van and in my heart.
Lee Parrott
Who is in your family?
Charles and I have four children: Melissa (Mike), Nelson (Mitra), Mitchell, and Robert; four grandchildren—Wyatt, Cicely, Vincent, and Winston; and O.C., the cat who adopted us when we moved into our house.
What led you to Northminster?
I started going to Northminster with Charles when we were dating. I had heard of Northminster all my life from my uncle, Jack Sweat, and from my mother, who, before moving to Jackson, received Northminster’s weekly sermons either by tape or in printed form.
What is one area of church life where you’re involved?
Being a social worker by profession, I have loved being involved with the Wider Net ministry.
What’s a favorite Northminster memory?
There are so many things I love about Northminster that it’s hard to narrow it down. I have loved the women’s book studies and watching my grandchildren’s spiritual growth in Atrium and all the other wonderful children’s ministries. But I think the women’s retreats are my favorite—they have been a lovely way to meet women of all ages whom I might never have gotten to know otherwise.
Gates Skene
Who is in your family?
Kyle and I have been married for almost 10 years, and we have two daughters, Eliza, 3½, and Nancy, 1½. We also have a labradoodle named Alice. I am a former “Wooley,” so most of my extended family members are fellow Northminster-ites. My parents are Dudley and Julie Wooley, and my brothers are Clay and John Wooley.
What led you to Northminster?
Northminster and I go way back! My grandparents, O.B. and Easie Wooley, helped found Northminster, and the rest of us have been here ever since. Northminster has been a fixture in so many important moments in my life that there are truly too many to name. What has kept us here is undoubtedly the people we get to call our family of faith.
What is one area of church life where you’re involved?
I am currently on the Children’s Committee. Seeing behind the scenes how the many children’s activities are meticulously planned and organized has given me a deeper appreciation for those who helped in this way when I was a child.
What’s a favorite Northminster memory?
I’m not sure there is one specific memory that stands out, but I really look forward to the Fall Festival, formerly the Halloween Carnival, each year. Having attended for the better part of 30-ish years, it’s an event that helps me stop and appreciate the passing of time. It is really fun to see Eliza looking forward to the same things I did as a child—and I’m sure Nancy will get there soon!
Kyle Watson
Who is in your family?
My wife, Kimberly, and I have two boys. George is a junior at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and Wesley is an energetic first grader.
What led you to Northminster?
After moving to Jackson, Northminster was one of several churches I visited. I was drawn to the music, the choir and organ, and the formal, traditional style of worship. The genuine message of the sermon each week and the friendly, welcoming nature of the congregation have kept me here.
What is one area of church life where you’re involved?
I have been a member of the choir since before I joined Northminster. I enjoy singing in a group, especially the music Dr. Coker selects for Sunday morning services and special choir presentations. I have also been known to chaperone Passport trips, children’s retreats, and youth lock-ins.
What’s a favorite Northminster memory?
My favorite Northminster memory is listening to George preach from the pulpit on Youth Sunday during his senior year of high school. A close second is filling and delivering bags for the Boarding Homes Project with my boys and watching them grow in their love of service.
Chris Wiggs
Who is in your family?
My wife, Holly, and I have been married for more than 32 years. We have a daughter, Madeleine, 26; a son, Noel, 24; and Luna, our 7-year-old silver Labrador.
What led you to Northminster?
Holly and I had one of our first “official” dates at the dedication of the Great Hall in the fall of 1988. Mark and Rebecca Wiggs invited us to this very memorable and significant event in our church and family history.
What is one area of church life where you’re involved?
I am currently involved with the usher and greeter committees and enjoy welcoming church members and visitors into our beautiful sanctuary on Sunday mornings. I recently joined the Finance/Stewardship Committee and also spent around 15 years teaching Youth Sunday School.
What’s a favorite Northminster memory?
My favorite Northminster memories include the baby dedications and baptisms of Madeleine and Noel. I also have fond memories of chaperoning a youth mission trip to Bayou La Batre, Alabama, in 2006. One of my most vivid memories is carrying five-gallon buckets of Gulf of Mexico water to mix concrete for the foundations of a nearby playground damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
Amy Williams
Who is in your family?
Amy, George, and Elsa, our yellow lab.
What led you to Northminster?
Not what, but who. Anne Brawley invited me to visit Northminster when I was a new speech-language pathologist at Magnolia Speech School and a graduate student in the art department at Mississippi College under Steve Cook’s instruction. It was my first time attending a liturgical Baptist church. It was Advent, and the sanctuary was adorned with evergreen wreaths and purple paraments. The worship service was God-centered, reverent, and spiritual—all the sights, sounds, and even the silences had meaning and purpose. I knew I had found my church home.
What is one area of church life where you’re involved?
The work of the Worship & Music Committee is where my heart lies. Writing liturgy, creating artwork and helping give life to our Advent and Lent devotional guides, and helping develop worship services and opportunities for reflection are some of the ways I use my gifts of creativity to honor God. It is a privilege to serve alongside so many talented people who give such thought and care to the worship of God at Northminster.
What’s a favorite Northminster memory?
One of my favorite and most meaningful memories is my first Good Friday Tenebrae service. George kept telling me how powerful it was—the reading of scripture, the stripping of the sanctuary, the increasing darkness, and Dupré’s massive organ piece at the end. That experience magnified the brightness, beauty, and joy of Resurrection Sunday, and still does.
