GRACE CHURCH OF THE ISLANDS - Key Persons

Allan Chagan

Job Titles:
  • Emeritus

Dave Ruolo

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Ruling Elder Mark Board
  • Ruling Elder

Deacon David Lamson

Job Titles:
  • Deacon

Deacon Joel Barry

Job Titles:
  • Deacon

Deacon Ron Nichols

Job Titles:
  • Deacon

Gina Harrell

Job Titles:
  • Director
Gina Harrell began serving as our music director in 2005. She is a native of Texas and holds a degree from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. She began her musical career by playing the piano for her mother's Sunday School class when she was 9 years old and has consistently worked as an accompanist and church pianist over the years before coming to Grace Church of the Islands as a substitute pianist in 2000. She has taught piano for 33 years and is an active member of the Music Teachers National Association and the Savannah Music Teachers Association. She maintains a busy teaching studio in her home. She and her husband, Craig, have lived in Savannah for 26 years and have three grown sons, two daughters-in-law, and two granddaughters.

J.C. Cunningham

Job Titles:
  • Pastor
  • Teaching Elder
Pastor J.C. Cunningham was born in Michigan but has spent most of his life in Florida. He served in the United States Navy for five years and received his BSBA degree at Hawaii Pacific University, and Master of Divinity from Knox Theological Seminary. J.C. served as the church planter of Christ the King Presbyterian church until March 2020. On April 1, 2020, Pastor J.C. was called as the new Senior Pastor at Grace Church of the Islands.

Jose Veciana

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Ruling Elder Mark Board
  • Ruling Elder

Louis Watson

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Ruling Elder Mark Board
  • Ruling Elder

Richard Towns

Job Titles:
  • Emeritus

Tom Taylor

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Ruling Elder Mark Board
  • Ruling Elder
Tom Taylor started working in the church office at GCI first on a volunteer basis in September 2018 then on a part-time basis and then became the Ministry Coordinator in August 2019. Tom is a ruling elder at GCI. Prior to coming to Savannah in 2009 he served on the Session of Grace Covenant PCA (1984-1992). He also served as Recording Clerk and Stated Clerk of the James River Presbytery (1990-2010). Tom retired as a professor in the Historic Preservation Department at SCAD in June of 2018 after teaching for nine years. Before coming to Savannah he was the Director of Architectural Collections at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for 29 years. Tom has been married to Debbie for 48 years and they have three grown children and three grandchildren and another on the way.