Rooted in Druid Hills, Bound to Emory
Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church sits on the western edge of Emory University's campus in Atlanta's historic Druid Hills neighborhood, about seven miles northeast of downtown. The Sanctuary is set back from North Decatur Road, with the Church School Building next door and the Youth and Activities Building - the YAAB - across the street at 1669 N. Decatur Rd. For more than a century the congregation has shared its worship life, its choirs, and even its sanctuary with the university, hosting Commencement exercises, academic lectures, and concerts, and, in recent memory, partnering with The Carter Center for a memorial service for First Lady Rosalynn Carter.
The community describes itself as multi-generational, with members ranging from babies to centenarians, and as openly affirming. The mission, in the words of the welcome page, is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world by proclaiming the good news of God's grace and by exemplifying Jesus' command to love God and neighbor.
From Fifty-Seven Founders to a 1931 Sanctuary
On January 11, 1920, fifty-seven people gathered to express their desire to become a Methodist congregation on the new Druid Hills campus of Emory University. The preacher that day was Bishop Warren A. Candler, brother of Coca-Cola founder Asa G. Candler. A month later, on February 15, 1920, the Emory University Methodist Church was formally organized.
For its first decade the group worshipped in the chapel of the university's Candler School of Theology. In 1930 the members decided to build a new sanctuary on campus, and soon learned that the building would be a memorial to the Rev. Wilbur Fisk Glenn, an Emory alumnus who had served as a Methodist minister and a leader of the church in the South for fifty years. The congregation held its first service in the new Glenn Memorial sanctuary on October 4, 1931.
The Church School Building was dedicated in 1940, adding administrative offices, classrooms, and The Little Chapel. In 1950 members of Glenn Memorial began a kindergarten that became The Glenn School for Young Children, a half-day preschool that has now served the Druid Hills community for seventy-five years. The Youth Building across North Decatur Road was consecrated in 1963; today it is the Youth and Activities Building and hosts the basketball program, the annual pumpkin patch, scouting, and community meetings.
In 2014 the congregation joined the Reconciling Ministries Network for full LGBTQ inclusion, an action favored by 87 percent of Glenn voters. A year later it was awarded the Emory University Office of LGBTQIA+ Life's Outstanding Ally of the Year Award. In 2024, the church celebrated the United Methodist General Conference affirming rites and rights for all persons. The congregation also acknowledges that it sits on the traditional land of the Mvskoke (Muscogee/Creek) peoples, past and present.
Two Sunday Services, One Livestream
Sunday at Glenn begins with a small, intimate service at 8:30 a.m. in The Little Chapel inside the Church School Building. The larger traditional service follows at 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary, and that service is livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube for those who cannot attend in person. Both services are open to everyone, and an usher hands out a bulletin that walks newcomers through the order of worship.
Between the two services, at 9:45 a.m., Sunday School classes meet across the Church School Building for every age. Children's Choirs (Joyful Noise for toddlers, Cherub Choir for Pre-K through first grade, and Covenant Choir for second through fifth grade) rehearse from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m., followed by Sunday School from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. The Chancel Choir rehearses at 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary before the eleven o'clock service.
There is no dress code. Members and visitors come in their Sunday best or in jeans: "Come as you are." All buildings are handicap accessible with ramp access and elevators, and parking for guests with walking difficulties is reserved along the driveway between the Sanctuary and the Church School Building.
A Music Program That Spans Generations
Music is one of the strongest threads at Glenn. The Director of Music and Worship Arts, Michael Grassi Dauterman, leads the Chancel Choir along with Assistant Director and Principal Keyboardist Ezechiel Daos. Rehearsals are held on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and again on Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. The choir sings regularly at the 11:00 a.m. service and is open to singers of high school age and above.
Below the chancel, Mary Lindsey Lewis directs the Cherub Choir (Pre-K through first grade), Katie Woolf directs the Covenant Choir (second through fifth grade), and Wes Griffin leads the Youth Choir (sixth through twelfth grade), with Robert Cushing as accompanist. The Youth Choir sings in worship and at senior living facilities, gives a spring concert, and embarks on a biennial tour with mission work attached. For younger instrumentalists, Wes Griffin hosts a Music Workshop for Youth and Kids on select Wednesdays from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Assembly Room of the YAAB.
Weddings draw on an extensive organ repertoire - Handel, Bach, Pachelbel, Mendelssohn, Widor, Vierne, and more - recorded in the Sanctuary and the Little Chapel. The Sanctuary organ also has its own dedicated pieces such as a Trumpet Voluntary, a Trumpet Tune, and a Toccata from Widor's Fifth Symphony, all available for listening from the music page.
Where the Littlest Worshippers Begin
Children are wanted and welcomed in all services at Glenn. Worship kits are available from the ushers, and a brief Children's Time is offered at most 11:00 a.m. services. For those who prefer, optional childcare is provided in the Church School Building from 8:30 a.m. to noon: the Nursery in Room 200 for infants under age two, Room 206 for two's and three's, and Room 310 for Pre-K and Kindergarten. A Comfort Room is located downstairs at the back of the Sanctuary, with rocking chairs available nearby. The Glenn School for Young Children, the half-day preschool the church began in 1950, continues as a separate program under its own director, Kathryn Cooper.
For children in first through fifth grade, Choir and Sunday School are paired on Sunday mornings. The year-round rhythm includes Vacation Bible School in early June, Glenn Summer Camp across five weeks in June and July, and a hosting role for the Glisson Grow Day Camp in late July. Children also take part in the annual Pumpkin Patch, the Trunk or Treat at the Emory Village Fall Festival, the Cherub Choir Nativity Pageant, and a Blessing of the Toys on the Sunday after Christmas.
Safety is taken seriously. Glenn's Child and Youth Protection Policy, known as the Safe Sanctuaries program, requires training, background checks, and signed policies for every adult who works with children. Stewards of Children training and the Georgia Mandated Reporter Training are part of the onboarding process, and sign-in and sign-out procedures govern every classroom.
Sixth Through Twelfth Grade at the YAAB
Glenn Youth, directed by Ben Ladner, gathers most Sunday nights from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Youth and Activities Building. A typical evening includes a shared meal, choir rehearsal for those who sing with the Youth Choir, and small-group programming for middle schoolers and high schoolers. The youth also participate in Confirmation during January through March for seventh graders and any older youth or adults who want to explore the Christian journey, with a parallel class offered for older first-timers.
Service is built into the rhythm. Glenn Youth serves locally and internationally, with an emphasis on local partnerships: Snack in a Backpack, Habitat for Humanity, the Lost-n-Found Youth drop-in center, Trinity Table, and the annual Pumpkin Patch, which raises money for youth mission trips. Three retreats a year give the group time to grow closer, and a high school retreat typically opens the academic year.
Acolytes in fourth grade through high school lead the processional at the 11:00 a.m. worship service, bringing in the light of Christ each Sunday. Older youth also serve on the Church Council and lead intergenerational service projects during the Sunday School hour each August.
Wesley Fellowship and the Young Adult Table
Wesley Fellowship is the church's United Methodist campus ministry for Emory undergrads and graduate students. It meets each Monday evening at Glenn: dinner at 6:00 p.m. and worship at 6:30 p.m. in the Little Chapel, followed by fellowship and treats. Wesley is described as inclusive and justice-oriented, and its director is the Rev. Sutton Smith, who also serves the broader young adult ministry.
For those in their twenties and thirties, the Young Adult Ministry meets for Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. in the Wesley Room of the Church School Building and on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. for a rotating mix of activities - Bible study, service projects, movie nights, and conversations on topics such as queer theology. The "Young Adult" label, the church notes, is a life stage, not an age. Graduate students, young professionals, singles, and married couples are all part of the mix.
Sunday School for Every Age
Adult Sunday School meets at 9:45 a.m. on Sundays in the Church School Building, with classes that take a break each summer for a combined lecture series and August intergenerational service projects. The New Class, open to anyone over twenty, brings in guest speakers from Candler School of Theology and beyond. Ventures in Faith reads a biblically based topic or set of verses each week in a discussion-friendly format; L.I.F.E. (Living in Faith Effectively) is a casual, discussion-based class for those balancing professional and family lives.
Other ongoing groups include the Chuck Horton Men's Bible Study on Wednesday mornings, the Friday Night Bites Women's Bible Study every other Friday evening (working through the Gospel of Mark this fall), and the Heart to Heart Walking Group, which meets on Wednesday mornings at the Emory Amphitheater for a gentle walk with the Rev. Susan Pinson.
Walking Beside One Another: Care Ministries
Congregational Care is led by the Rev. Susan Pinson, Senior Associate Minister. Prayer requests may be submitted confidentially to the pastors or to an email prayer ministry. The Lay Ministry Team, made up of trained lay members, nurtures people through illness, hospitalization, and grief; a separate team of volunteers brings Holy Communion to the homebound every quarter. Pastors are on call for hospital emergencies after hours through the church's main phone line.
Support groups meet in the Parlor and the YAAB. A six-week Grief Support Group is offered seasonally, led by counselors from Aspen Grove Counseling. The Caregivers' Support Group, free and confidential, meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 4:30 p.m. for those caring for aging loved ones, including those with memory loss, dementia, or Alzheimer's disease. A Single Moms' Support Group gathers on select Sundays, and the Prayer Shawl and Baby Blanket Ministry (the Lydia Circle) meets on the second Thursday of each month to knit and crochet for those who are ill, facing surgery, welcoming a new baby, or marking another significant moment. Expectant mothers can also schedule a complimentary shopping visit to the church's Maternity Clothes Closet.
Educate, Advocate, Connect: The Justice Team
Glenn organizes its social-justice work around three verbs: educate, advocate, and create personal connections. The Justice Team is chaired by Carol Allums and meets in subgroups to take on specific issues.
On the education side, the team circulates a Social Justice Devotional, maintains a Racial Justice Caucus Resource page with a Little Free Library in front of the YAAB, and brings in professors from Candler School of Theology for occasional lectures. A 2023 Gun Violence Prevention Resolution was submitted by Glenn at the North Georgia Annual Conference and approved, and an Affirmation calling to Center Justice and Empowerment for LGBTQIA+ People in the UMC was likewise submitted by Glenn lay delegate Jay Horton and approved.
On advocacy, the church supports voter registration and turnout, signs onto petitions for the Equality Act and for universal background checks, and encourages members to participate in public hearings and letter-writing campaigns. A statement adopted unanimously by the Church Council on March 23, 2025 commits Glenn to resisting efforts to use the Christian faith to justify the marginalization of immigrants, the poor, people of color, religious minorities, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ people.
On connection, the team coordinates volunteers for the outreach partners listed below and for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Celebration each January at Branan Towers, where Glenn youth, scouts, and Midtown High students plan an afternoon of food, songs, crafts, and a reading of the I Have a Dream speech.
Snack in a Backpack and the Wider Web of Outreach
Snack in a Backpack is one of the largest ministries at Glenn. Every Thursday during the school year, volunteers gather at the YAAB to set up tables, count and sort food, and pack bags that go home on Friday afternoons with children at risk of hunger on the weekends. The ministry now serves approximately 650 children a week across several local elementary schools and refugee families at the Global Village Project, distributing more than 20,000 bags of food in a typical school year and receiving more than 100,000 pounds of free or sharply discounted food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank, the Produce Buyers Club, and Second Helpings. Aluminum cans collected in a special receptacle outside the YAAB go to Habitat for Humanity.
Beyond Snack, the congregation has long-standing relationships with several outreach partners:
- Trinity Table at Trinity UMC downtown, where Glenn has helped prepare and serve Sunday hot meals and to-go bags for more than thirty years. A mobile shower trailer visits the parking lot on the last Sunday of every month through the nonprofit Hope Thru Soap.
- Intown Cares, which runs a food-choice pantry and works to prevent and reverse homelessness in intown Atlanta. Glenn supports it with drives, deliveries, hygiene kits, and financial gifts.
- Lost-n-Found Youth, an organization supporting unhoused LGBTQ+ youth ages 18 to 25. Glenn prepares and serves a hot meal there once a month and stocks the transition homes' pantries.
- Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, where Glenn has partnered with other churches to build one house a year for the past thirty years.
- L'Arche Atlanta, a community in Decatur where people with and without intellectual disabilities share life together.
- Branan Towers, a Wesley Woods senior community serving older adults with extremely low incomes; Glenn supports residents with an essentials closet, holiday parties, summer cookouts, and a yearly Mother's Day offering.
- Trinity House / Big Bethel-Trinity Community Ministries, a residential program for men experiencing homelessness and addiction.
Globally, the church's annual budget supports students at the Cambodia Methodist Mission, the Munyarari Methodist Mission schools in rural Zimbabwe, scholarships at Africa University, and the children's ministries at the El Sembrado school in Ecuador. The Alternative Giving Catalog, raised each Advent, brought in more than $68,600 in 2025 for these and other partners.
Draw the Circle Wide
The Draw the Circle Wide team is the outgrowth of the Rainbow Advocacy Group that began meeting in 2011. After joining the Reconciling Ministries Network in 2014, the church worked steadily toward full inclusion, welcomed all couples to be married in the Sanctuary or Little Chapel, and partnered with other reconciling United Methodist congregations to march in the Atlanta Pride Parade each October. T-shirts for the parade are sold through Bonfire, with proceeds going to Lost-n-Found Youth.
The team curates a library of recommended books and podcasts, hosts an annual reconciling worship service for the surrounding community, and supports LGBTQIA+ affirming organizations with financial gifts and volunteers.
Caring for God's Creation
Glenn's Environmental Committee models stewardship of creation through recycling and composting programs, a no-idling policy in the school carpool lane, and partnerships with Georgia Interfaith Power and Light and other local groups. The church has advocated against plastic grocery bags and in support of solar power at the local, regional, and state levels. Members have volunteered in the International Rescue Committee's community garden, distributed a Home Energy Affordability and Resources Survey with the City of Decatur and Agnes Scott College, and hosted speakers on environmental topics.
Scouting and Glenn Hoops
Scouting has been part of Glenn's life for a century. The Cub Scout Pack 6 charter goes back to 1935, and Scout Troop 18's charter to 1920, making it one of the first troops in DeKalb County. Both now operate under the sponsorship of T18/P6 4Ever Inc., but they continue to meet at Glenn: Pack 6 den meetings, Troop 18 on Tuesday nights from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., and the newer Troop 618 for girls on Thursday nights. Several Girl Scout, Brownie, and Daisy troops also meet at Glenn.
Glenn Hoops is the church's community basketball league, directed by Recreation Coordinator Jon Kissel. Boys' divisions are broken into shorter age gaps and a renewed effort is underway to launch middle school and high school girls' divisions, alongside a coed league for younger players. The season runs from late October tryouts through February's single-elimination tournament, with practices and games held in the YAAB gym.
Clergy, Staff, and Lay Leadership
The Rev. Dr. Byron Thomas serves as Senior Pastor, with the Rev. Susan Pinson as Senior Associate Minister for Congregational Care, Children, and Older Adults. The Rev. Jimmy Moor, the Rev. Elaine Puckett (Discipleship), and the Rev. Sutton Smith (College and Young Adult Ministries) round out the pastoral team. The program staff includes Julia Edwards (Financial Secretary), Cliff Richards (Church Business Administrator), Kathryn Cooper (Glenn School Director), Adrielle Gray (Childcare Coordinator), Katherine "Kat" Griffith (Administrative Assistant), Jon Kissel (Recreation Coordinator), Ben Ladner (Director of Youth Ministries), and Carol Wilson (Summer Camp Director, in her sixteenth year). The music staff is led by Michael Grassi Dauterman, with Mary Lindsey Lewis, Katie Woolf, Wes Griffin, Ezechiel Daos, and Robert Cushing directing the choirs. Ministry interns George Wasson and Ellie Dilworth support youth and family ministries.
Glenn is governed by an elected Church Council, with Emily Washburn serving as chair and Alison LaGree and Reid Mallard as lay leaders. Committees cover worship, hospitality, justice, spiritual nurture, children, youth, older adults, the environment, finance, the board of trustees, and more. The church also has five United Women in Faith circles (Esther, Naomi, Deborah, Martha, and the Lydia Prayer Shawl Circle) and a Glenn Men's ministry with an annual retreat and a Wednesday morning Bible study.
Weddings, Funerals, and a Sanctuary That Welcomes All
Weddings are celebrated in both the Sanctuary and the Little Chapel, and the church's Wedding Brochure lists a full organ repertoire, sample photographs, and a guide to working with the Director of Music. All couples are warmly welcomed.
Funerals or memorial services follow the United Methodist Service of Death and Resurrection, observed in the Sanctuary or the Little Chapel. Pastors are available around the clock through the church's main line to provide comfort, prayer, and guidance in making plans. Musicians, special music, and hymns can be arranged with the Director of Music, and family members or friends are invited to share personal words of witness or read Scripture lessons. The church office can be reached at 404.634.3936, and gifts can be made online at the giving page.