Leadership

Julian Russell

Julian and his bride, Christiana, (nee Zonicle), have been married since 1981. They have three children and ten beautiful grandchildren. In 1980, Julian and Christiana began a ministry to both the elderly and young children throughout the island of New Providence. Julian was ordained to the gospel ministry in 1984. The entire family relocated to the United States in 1994.
Julian completed both his Doctor of Ministry, (2013), and Masters of Theology, (2007), at Covenant
Seminary, St. Louis, and his Masters in Divinity, (1997), at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando.
Both Julian and Christiana graduated high school in the same year - St. Augustine’s College in Fox Hill,
New Providence. Julian also attended the College of the Bahamas. He studied for his Masters in Computer Science through the British Computer Society, England. While in seminary, Julian and Christiana planted a Baptist church. He also planted New Beginnings Community Church in Memphis, TN. After 10 years, the Russell’s relocated to Dallas, TX, where Julian served on the pastoral staff of 5,000-member PCPC. The Russell’s returned to their birthplace in 2017.
While there, Julian Russell - a Teaching Elder - serves as Church Planter and Team Leader for Mission to
the World: Bahamas.

Sirgregory Thornton

Sirgregory is a proud native of the city of Memphis where he was born and raised by two godly parents. Though being raised in the church and being the son and grandson of a pastor, Sirgregory did not understand what it truly meant to have a real relationship with Jesus Christ. It wasn’t until one of his college teammates invited him to a bible study did he first begin to realize his life wasn’t lining up with the word of God. During the second semester of his freshman year at Arkansas State University, Sirgregory accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

After graduation Sirgregory accepted a position with Campus Outreach where he evangelized, preached, and did ministry on the college campus at Arkansas State and the University of Memphis. During these years, Sirgregory’s vision and passion for the city grew and he felt a call towards pastoral ministry. Sirgregory has recently received his Master of Divinity degree from Mid America Baptist Seminary.Sirgregory and his wife Jade are the proud parents of Charis and Sir Gregory Anthony.

Adrianna Steele

Adrianna Steele is a vocalist raised in Gary, IN. She obtained her Masters in Arts Administration from the prestigious School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. After falling in love with the students of Stax Music Academy during an internship, Adrianna returned to Memphis 2012 and worked as the Program Manager, Operations Manager, and Director of the Academy.  In July 2017, Adrianna became the part-time worship leader, and in 2018 answered the call to become the full-time Music Director at Downtown Church. 

Adrianna met her husband Brennan at DC and they have one daughter. She looks forward to worshiping God in Spirit and truth each Sunday with her DC family as she continues to grow in ministry.

Hilary Denny

Hilary is from a little bit of everywhere, growing up in both Canada and Texas.  Before moving to Memphis, Hilary most recently lived in Senegal, Africa, working as a missionary with her husband, Wayne.  In 2016, they relocated to Memphis for Hilary to pursue her Masters in Urban Education, after which she taught elementary school in Shelby County Schools for 5 years.  She is currently pursuing her MDiv at Memphis City Seminary.

Hilary came on at Downtown Church as the Director of Elementary Ministries in 2022, with a desire to teach and disciple both children and their parents to love God and love their neighbor in this ever changing culture.  Her desire is for the children of Downtown Church to know God’s truth and to be able to live it out in love to the world around them. 

Hilary and Wayne have 2 kids, Adelaide and Marc. They love spending time as a family playing games, traveling, and laughing together at a good dad joke. 

Jessie Harvey

Jessie was born and raised in Memphis. She graduated from Covenant College with a degree in history and went on to earn a master’s degree in history at Virginia Commonwealth University, writing a thesis on the 1960 lunch counter sit-ins of Chattanooga, Tennessee. After grad school, Jessie joined the staff at West End Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia, assisting with communications and the neighborhood outreach program. A former cross country runner, Jessie helped lead Track Club, a twice-weekly event for refugee children where they learned the basics of running, relays, endurance, and the Gospel. Jessie and her husband, Phil, live in the Vollintine-Evergreen neighborhood with their three children: Ellen, Dietrich, and David.

Kelsie Ellison

Kelsie would consider herself a Memphis transplant, having been in Memphis since 2011. She moved here to attend the University of Memphis where she graduated with a Bachelor’s in Broadcast Journalism and met her now husband, Kevin. Kelsie and Kevin and have two sons, Kevin III and Karter. Kelsie ministered to college students at the University of Memphis for five years with Campus Outreach college ministry and served as a Women’s Coordinator. She also served on the women’s Bible study teaching team at Second Presbyterian Church for three years. 

Kelsie is pursuing her Master’s of Biblical Studies at Reformed Theological Seminary. She enjoys growing in her knowledge of God through his Word, and making Him known through evangelizing and discipling women. Kelsie enjoys trying different restaurants in Memphis and visiting the numerous hidden gems around the city.

Cedric Calhoun

Jed Hale

Michael Davis

Chester Gilchrist

Chris Oliver

Josh Shelley

Nicholas Barnhart

Orcutt C. White

Willie Baldwin

Mike Shaw

Corey DeWaters

Daniel Aaron Harris

Ronald Proctor

LeGerald “LG” Collier

Rendon “Hugo” Bradley

Sharda Collier