Dr. Edward Bolen has been the pastor of Milledge Avenue Baptist church since 1997. A Georgia native and a proud Auburn University graduate, Dr. Bolen received his Masters of Divinity from Golden Gate Seminary in San Francisco and his Ph.D. (New Testament studies) from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Edward and Susan met on a committee at the Baptist Student Union and have been married since 1985. Susan is an Instructional Coach at Timothy Road Elementary School. They are the proud parents of two children, John and Zoe. Edward enjoys a wide variety of missions opportunities, volunteering with Boy Scouts, working in his yard, or relaxing with a good book.

edward@milledge.org

Dr. Ginny Dempsey, a native Athenian, joined the Milledge Avenue staff as Associate Pastor for Students in May of 2014.  Ginny earned a Bachelor of Arts from Shorter College, a Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology, a Masters of Teaching from Piedmont College, and a Doctor of Ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary.  In addition to school and learning, Ginny is an avid Georgia Bulldog fan and can be found at Sanford Stadium many Saturdays in the fall.  Ginny is blessed to have an adopted daughter from China who is 8 years old and loves karate, playing the violin, and anything technological.  When not chauffeuring Anna Grace around, Ginny loves to swim, watch SEC football, read, and spend time with her family and friends.

ginny@milledge.org

Tom Eggleston was born in Port Sulphur, Louisiana. His mother and sister live in Newport News, VA and his father died in 1977. He received his high school diploma at Prytania Private High School in New Orleans, LA; his Bachelor of Music Education degree from William Carey University in Hattiesburg, MS; and a Master of Church Music degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. Tom has been happily married to Delores since 1978. She is a retired hospital chaplain of 16 years, a gifted preacher and active as a Sunday School teacher and speaker to various organizations. They have a son, Travis, who is an assistant manager at Enterprise Car Company in Athens. His wife, Clare, teaches music at High Shoals Elementary in Athens and their daughter, Maggie, is a delightful young lady.

Tom has had a varied career which includes a national position as National Missionary for Special Events and Creative Arts with the North American Mission Board; a state position as Assoc. Director for Music and Worship with the South Carolina Baptist Convention; and local positions as Minister of Music in Louisville, Kentucky; Morgantown, West Viriginia; Conyers, Georgia; Lancaster, South Carolina and began serving at Milledge Ave Baptist Church in Athens, GA on November 2, 2014. His areas of interest include writing original anthems, hymns, songs, hymn arranging, children’s songs and stories. Tom’s first anthem was published in 1977. He has had many anthems published with Word Music, Lillenas Music, LifeWay Music, and Shawnee Press. A recent anthem, “A Place of Love and Grace” published with Shawnee in 2014 won an Editor’s Choir award from JW Pepper Music. In 2010, the hymn, “I Gaze Upon the Wondrous Cross” was included in the Celebrating Grace Hymnal. For many years, Tom has had an anthem website: www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/tomeggleston, with 200+ anthems, songs, hymns) in 40categories.

Other interests include playing and collecting ocarinas (a globular flute); playing cards with friends and exercising at the “Y”.

tom@milledge.org

Carrie Juarez, our Office Manager, came to MABC in February 2012. Carrie has an Associates Degree in Management Studies from the University of Maryland. She has a daughter who loves to draw and text her friends. Carrie loves to read and watch movies in her spare time.

carrie@milledge.org

Karen Byrd is the organist at Milledge Avenue Baptist Church. She has her piano performance degree from Georgia Southern University and studied organ with church musician and organist Don Hustad. Karen also accompanies the Sanctuary Choir.

Karen is married to Nathan Byrd and is the mother of three beautiful children.  She currently teaches full-time in the Walton County School System.

Susan started in April 2012. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from UGA and is currently working on her Masters of Public Administration from Valdosta State University. She works part time for MABC and full time at UGA. She served 4 years in the Army overseas and in Texas. Originally, she is from Taliaferro County and enjoys spending time with her children, Shane, 16 and Chloe, 12, running, and taking fitness classes. She is usually in the office on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings.

susan@milledge.org