Rev. Kip J. Rush
Senior Pastor
pastor@brenthaven.org
Rev. Kip Rush, the first full time pastor of the new Brenthaven Church, has been a life long Cumberland Presbyterian. Raised in Austin, Texas, he grew up in the St. Paul Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He answered the call to the ministry in 1983 and after a year at the University of Texas, he moved to McKenzie, Tennessee to attend Bethel College. While at Bethel, he met and married his wife, Jodi.
Kip graduated from Bethel in 1986 and later from Memphis Theological Seminary (1990), where he served as president of the Student Government Association, received the award for Cumberland Presbyterian History and graduated with honors.
He was ordained at the Colonial Cumberland Presbyterian Church by Trinity Presbytery and has served churches in Texas, Georgia and Mississippi before coming to Brenthaven. Kip serves on the Board of Christian Education in Nashville Presbytery, the Board of Trustees for Memphis Theological Seminary and the board of UKirk Nashville, a Presbyterian college ministry serving Vanderbilt and Belmont Universities.
Kip and Jodi have two daughters, Madison, who is a sixth grade teacher and Devin, who works for a healthcare non-profit.
Rev. Sandra Shepherd
Associate Pastor for Christian Discipleship
woolywagon@gmail.com
Rev. Sandra Shepherd serves as Associate Pastor for Christian Discipleship. Her primary duties are in Christian Education, especially with adults. Sandra grew up in Starkville, MS, and graduated from Mississippi State University with a BS in Art Education, later added teaching endorsements in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She and her husband, Scott, lived in Birmingham while he completed dental school, and then lived for 30 years in Stevenson, AL. Sandra has several years of experience as a classroom teacher and has served the Church at the presbytery and denomination levels as a member of Christian Education boards, committees and teams. In addition, she has written Sunday school curriculum, study guides, leader guides, devotionals, and articles for the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and various publications.
In 2008, Sandra graduated from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and was ordained by Robert Donnell Presbytery. She has served as pastor of Mt. Zion CPC in Columbus, MS, and as Director of Christian Education at Bellevue Presbyterian Church (USA) in Nashville. Sandra is very crafty and creative and loves to sing.
Cheryl B. Morris
Director of Children's Ministries
cheryl.morris@comcast.net
"Miss Cheryl" has been on the Brenthaven church staff working and sharing with our children since 2003. Cheryl's background includes 10 years of experience in education, 3 years in public relations and 10 years in broadcasting. Before joining the Brenthaven staff, she worked at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church Pre-School where she was an assistant teacher in the pre-kindergarten class.
Cheryl has previously worked as the director of a public relations program for seniors at Baptist Hospital and as a producer for WKRC-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Cheryl and her husband Marty, are the parents of two sons, Michael and Matthew. All four are also members of Brenthaven.
Rev. Ean Taylor
Associate Pastor for Youth and Young Adult Ministry
brenthavenyouth@gmail.com
Ean has spent most of his life around Nashville and would not want it any other way. Family is very important to Ean, his godchildren Kira, Lilah, and Lincoln are his favorite people in the world. In his free time, Ean enjoys playing cards or board games, hiking with his wife Brooke, large plates of sushi, and goofing around with his youth group. He began his college career at Bethel University, graduated from Austin Peay in 2015, and graduated with a Master's in Divinity from Memphis Theological Seminary in 2021. Ean was ordained by Nashville Presbytery in 2021, right here at Brenthaven.
Ean has a great passion for youth ministry. He loves caring for people in the midst of the stresses of education and school, and has done so since 2012. Ean serves as a Co-Director of Nashville Presbytery Middle School Camp, Co-Director of Tennessee Synod High School Camp, and a member of the Board of Christian Education for Nashville Presbytery.
Ean is easy going, light hearted, and a lover of inside jokes. (And he hopes to be a part of one someday!)
Linda Pulley
Director of Music
lwpulley@bellsouth.net
Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Linda Williams Pulley has been playing piano and worshipping as a Cumberland Presbyterian her entire life. A graduate of John Overton High School, Linda was a leader in the marching band, participated in the school choir, and performed with the "Madrigals," a small singing group. Attending Austin Peay State University, Linda was a member of the school band and choir while earning her degree in both music and business. During this time period Linda was an active member as well as President of Sigma Alpha Iota, an international music fraternity. For her service with the fraternity, Linda received the prestigious Rose of Honor. She remains a member today.
Linda has been teaching private piano lessons since 1987 as well as serving as Choir Director for the former Brentwood Cumberland Presbyterian Church and Music Director for the Woodbine Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Married to Larry Pulley, Linda enjoys being with her girls, Laura Ellen and Lorri Jean.