Todd Green
Minister of Music and Worship
Todd was born in Louisville, Kentucky on November 29, 1967. He is married to Susan Green and they have one daughter, named Mary Elizabeth.
Todd was called to the ministry in 1986 while stationed at Minot AFB in Minot, ND. At age 19 he served as the Minister of Music at North Hills Baptist Church. He entered College in 1990 and earned his Bachelors in Music then went to Southwestern Seminary in FT Worth, Texas, and earned his Masters Degree in Vocal Performance and Church Music. He was ordained to the ministry September 25th, 2005.
Todd has played guitar since he was 12 years old. "I only learned to play the guitar because I got tired of singing a cappella," Todd says with a smile. "Since then the guitar has become a vital part of my ministry. I do a lot of my song writing using my guitar and many times I lead worship using it."
Todd and Susan do frequent concerts and revivals. Todd has several publications including:
§ Todd and Susan Green; His Grace Abounds, an audio CD released April 2004
§ A Candle Light Christmas , Contributing Lyricist, Hal Leonard, 1998
§ His Grace Abounds , Composer, Shawnee Press, 1997
Joe Palmer
Minister of Adult Education
Joe was born on June 27, 1946 in Fayette, AL. He is married to Freda for 43 years. Joe and Freda met and married while attending Samford University. They have two daughters, Dawn and Heather. Dawn is married to Todd Bishop, Family Minister at Woodmont Baptist Church, and they have two children, Meredith and Riley. Heather is Minister of Children at Harpeth Heights Baptist Church.
He graduated from Kenmore High School in Akron, OH while his father was a Home Mission Board missionary in Ohio. He graduated from Samford University with a major in Religion and received a Masters Degree in Religious Education from Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX.
Joe has served FBC Gadsden, AL as Minister of Youth/Recreation, FBC Pensacola, FL as Minister of High School Youth/Recreation and University Baptist Church, Ft. Worth, TX as Minister of Youth. Joe went to the Baptist Sunday School Board in 1981 to work with a new start up camp called Centrifuge. Twenty eight year later he retired from LifeWay and Centrifuge/M-Fuge/Crosspoint/Centri-Kid after guiding its growth from 4 to 30 camp locations.
Phillip Millard
Minister to Students
Phillip was born in Hot Springs, AR on April 8, 1974. He graduated from Lake Hamilton High School in 1992, University of Central Arkansas in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science, and from Southwestern Theological Seminary with a Masters in Divinity in 2001.
Phillip married Angie June 3, 2000 who graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a degree in Spanish and her Masters in Counseling from Henderson State University. Angie has a heart for youth, but especially for girls to turn their hearts toward God and find their significance in Him. They have 1 son, Jeremiah who was born July 17, 2006 in Guatemala.
Phillip was saved June 27, 1981 in the living room of his home as he prayed with his mom and dad. He always felt that there was nothing as important in life as helping people come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior and he answered the call to ministry in 1998. His desire is to see students, their families and their friends become full court followers of Christ.
Phillip has served as minister of students at 4 churches prior to coming to Harpeth Heights in October of 2008. He served Southside Baptist Church, Stuttgart, AR for 3 years during college and before seminary, Pleasant View Baptist Church, Bridgeport, TX for 3 years during seminary, First Baptist Church, Dyersburg, TN for a year after seminary and Calvary Baptist Church, Camden, AR for the 6 years before coming to Harpeth Heights.
Phillip sees working for the glory of God as the most rewarding experience a person can have. Ministry is helping people realize this simple statement is true and then going out into all the world preaching and teaching Christ. It is his desire to be used by God to help turn lost individuals into mature ministers for Christ, by guiding students and their parents to build up God’s church, both in the community and in the world. His prayer is that his life, his marriage, his family, the students at Harpeth Heights and the church will always strive towards God’s excellence in every possible way.
Heather Palmer
Minister to Children/Pre-school
Heather was born on November 29, 1971 in Birmingham, Alabama. She is the youngest of two girls. Heather has been raised in a Christian home that showed what being a Christian is all about. In fact, there is a long lineage of ministers in her family. It began with her grandfather being a pastor and missionary and continues with her father serving as a youth minister and at LifeWay with the Centri-fuge/M-Fuge/Centri-Kid/Crosspoint Camps. Her mother taught 2nd Grade for years and continues to volunteer in schools. Heather’s sister has previously been on staff as a youth and education minister and her brother-in-law is a youth minister in the Nashville area. Serving God through serving others has been something that Heather has seen lived out by her parents since the day she was born.
Heather is a graduate of Union University with a Bachelors of Science in Special Education and received a Masters of Arts in Christian Education at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She has been in the ministry for over 10 years. Heather has served on staff with Centrifuge and M-Fuge, has worked at an intercity youth and children's program and as a youth and children's minister in Kentucky and Tennessee. Her objective is to teach children about the life that can be found in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
Heather is the very proud aunt of Meredith and Riley. They continue to teach her new things and show her daily the importance of living out her faith (they are always watching!). Ask her about them…she would love to tell you ALL about them.
Brian Justice
Church Administrator
Brian asked Christ to be his Lord and Savior at the age of 8 at Vacation Bible School. Brian graduated with a Bachelor in Business Administration from David Lipscomb University in 1987. He married Lisa Burrow in December 1987. Brian and Lisa’s first child, a son, Tanner Jody, was born in April 1990. Their second child, a daughter, Palmer McClain was born in June 1993. Brian joined the staff with Temple Hills Golf Club in June 2002 as Assistant General Manager – Marketing Director. He joined the staff with Harpeth Heights Baptist Church in February 2010 as Church Business Administrator.
Annette Becker
Weekday Preschool Ministry Director
Annette began working at HHBC in 1996 when she moved from Paducah, Kentucky, to Nashville. She first worked as a classroom teacher and then became assistant director in 1999. Annette has a true love for working with small children and having the opportunity to share the love of Jesus with them each day.
Annette graduated from Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, with a B. S. in Elementary Education. She has been married 25 years, and has two sons, and one granddaughter. Annette is the youngest of seven children. She enjoys gardening, decorating, traveling, and spending time with her family.
Joni Wilson
Weekday Preschool Ministry Assistant Director
Joni was born September 17, 1958 in Birmingham, Alabama. She moved to Nashville in September 1972 with her family and they soon became active members of Harpeth Heights Baptist Church. She is the daughter of Bill and Betty Justice. Her brother Brian and his wife Lisa are active members of Harpeth Heights. Joni and her husband, Chuck, were married in April 1987. Chuck became a member of Harpeth Heights in 1994, and he and Joni have served in the Preschool area during Sunday School for the past several years.
God has blessed them with three children: Mallie, Makenzie, and Brannon. Brannon and his wife Renee were married in May 2007. Joni enjoys spending time with her family and friends, working in the yard, and watching sports.
Joni worked for 15 years at the Baptist Sunday School Board (now Lifeway). In 1994 she began working part-time as a two-year-old teacher in the Harpeth Heights Baptist Weekday Preschool. In August 1999 became Administrative Assistant in the Preschool office. In August 2007, she became the Assistant Director of the Preschool. She loves the children, parents, staff and the many opportunities of this wonderful preschool.
Ruth Hows
Ministry Assistant - Senior Pastor
Ruth Hows was born in Nashville, Tennessee on June 14, 1967. She is married to Michael Hows (12-20-85) and they have boy/girl twins, Mason Curtis and Morgan Faith Hows (1-4-01). Ruth worked in health care for 16 years before joining the HHBC staff in April, 2006. Ruth and her family became members of Harpeth Heights in July, 2007.
Karen E. Temple
Ministry Assistant - Finance
Karen was born April 6, 1956. Karen is the daughter and step daughter of William “Dusty” and Carolyn Russell, and the niece of Mrs. Mary Jean Baucom, all of whom are long time members of Harpeth Heights Baptist Church. Karen’s late brother, William “Bill” H. Temple was a tremendous influence on Karen’s life. Bill was a godly man and was a 1953 cradle roll member of Harpeth Heights Baptist Church and a member until 1986, before becoming Church Administrator of First Baptist Church, Nashville for 15 years. Karen’s grandfather, Archie “E.A.” Henderson was the Sunday School Director for Harpeth Heights Baptist Church for several years in the early 1960’s.
Karen was born at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Karen is on the 1956 cradle roll of Harpeth Heights Baptist Church and has been a member of Harpeth Heights since February 1969, after receiving Christ. Karen went to Grassland Elementary, Franklin High School and is a 1974 graduate of Bellevue High School. Karen attended Middle Tennessee State University in the fall of 1974, before marrying her high school sweetheart in April of 1975 in the old sanctuary or now our Fellowship Hall. Karen has been divorced since 1983 with no children. Karen loves her animals, and lives with her sister, Lisa Temple, who is also a member of Harpeth Heights Baptist Church since 1981.
Karen loves sports and played basketball at Grassland Elementary in 1969-1970. Karen was featured in the 1970 issue of Sports Illustrated in the “Faces in the Crowd” section for scoring 55 points in one game and averaging 38 points per game as an 8th grader, at 13 years of age. Karen also played basketball at Franklin High School and was on Harpeth Heights’ first girl’s softball team at 16. Karen was named an All Star 3rd baseman in 1976 and 1977 for the Baptist Church League.
While in high school Karen was in the Civinettes, GAA’s, Best All-Around and Senior Class Favorite of Bellevue High School in 1974.
Karen’s professional background is in Information Systems as a Facilities Planning Analyst for Saint Thomas Hospital from 1981-1991. Karen attended Nashville State Technical Institute from 1994 to 1996 for coursework relative to Information Systems, with an emphasis of computer peripherals. Karen worked for other companies from 1991- 2002 as an Office Manager, Payroll Specialist, Systems Administrator, with several years of accounting experience as well.
Karen accepted an interim position as Financial Secretary in October 2002 for Harpeth Heights Baptist Church, after being laid off from a company that went bankrupt. Karen was hired as full time Financial Secretary for Harpeth Heights on January 1, 2003. Karen is currently serving as the Chairman of both the Recreation and History Committees. Karen loves the Lord, sports, gardening, music, and children. Karen is a member of the McKinney Sunday School Class.
Terri Howard
Ministry Assistant - Church
Terri was born in Opelika, Alabama. She is married to David Howard and they have a daughter, Amber Howard that is currently a student at UT Chattanooga. The Howard family has been members since August, 1991. Terri joined the HHBC staff in June of 2008. She previously worked at Harpeth Middle and High School in Kingston Springs for 9 years.
