Rev. Dr. Richard Kannwischer

The Rev. Dr. Richard Kannwischer is the eighth Senior Pastor of the seven-thousand member Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Richard has been a pastor for twenty-five years and has served congregations in Texas, California, and the NYC metropolitan area.

He studied business at Trinity University in San Antonio before completing his Masters from Princeton Seminary and his Doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary. Richard has been honored to serve as a member of the board of trustees for all three of his higher educational institutions. He is currently a Board of Director at the historic Fox Theatre in Atlanta.

Richard and Kelly met in graduate school, so they fell in love debating theology and eating ice cream as a reward after an evening in the library. Kelly is the founder of OptUp Consulting and is passionate about empowering momentum for organizations and noble causes. They have two adult children. One is a student at the University of Georgia, and the other attends Rich’s alma mater, Trinity University. Richard loves to read, swim, and run, and if you really want a great story, ask him about his hole-in-one in golf.

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Big Questions of Faith: A Video and Lecture Series

Jennifer Batka

As a Certified Spiritual Director, Jennifer gently guides and journeys alongside people in their relationship with God. She leads the Fuller Theological Seminary Spiritual Formation Cohorts at Peachtree Church offering individuals opportunities to learn about and engage with spiritual disciplines that serve as pathways to a closer walk with Jesus. Jennifer also leads women’s retreats, silent retreats, and spiritual formation services. Her hope is people will grow deeper in their faith, experiencing God’s love and compassion. Jennifer has been a member of Peachtree for more than 30 years and she and her husband, David, have two teenage boys and a Boykin Spaniel.

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The Slow Way of Jesus

Rev. Vicki Franch

Rev. Vicki Harrington Franch serves as the Pastor of Pastoral Care. She cares for those in need of support and she oversees the Stephen Ministers, as well as the Griefshare and Divorce Recovery support groups.

Vicki has been a part of Peachtree since she was 10 years old. Her father, Dr. Frank Harrington, served as Senior Pastor of Peachtree for 29 years. She thinks of this church as an extension of her home and of the congregation as her family. Vicki considers her ministry here to be “a dream come true.”

She received her bachelor’s degree from Duke University. While getting her Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary, she served at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, Newtown Square Presbyterian Church, and served as a chaplain for Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She began working for Peachtree in 2001.

Vicki is married to Dr. Hal Franch, who is a nephrologist and Professor of Medicine at Emory University. They met in high school and have been married since 1983. They have three children, Carolina, Michael, and James and two grandchildren.

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Book of Ruth  

Kelly Kannwischer

Kelly is a consultant and coach who brings a wealth of experience and passion to the nonprofit sector. As the Managing Director at Carter Global and co-founder of Wonderfully Made, she is deeply committed to empowering individuals and organizations to realize their full potential. Through her work as an executive and life coach at OptUp, Kelly specializes in helping leaders to convert hidden talents into vibrant passions that drive impact.

An alumnus of both The University of Virginia and Princeton Theological Seminary, Kelly blends academic rigor with real-world insight. When she’s not busy inspiring others, you can often find her baking with the Wonder Makers, on the golf course, or writing. Kelly’s life and work is all about connection, creativity, and cultivating community.

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Revelation: A Vision of Hope and Promise

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Bethany: Building Deep and Transformative Christian Community

Morgan Kennedy 

Morgan is Peachtree’s Director of Teaching and Learning and has a heart for adult discipleship. She graduated from Auburn with a Master of Education and is passionate about creating safe learning environments that allow the congregation to explore their faith, ask hard questions, and grow deeper in their walk with Christ. She is a student at Emory’s Candler School of Theology, earning a Master of Divinity.

She is married to her best friend, Clark, and they enjoy cheering on their sons, Woods and Wren, at the ballpark.

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Marriage Prep

Dr. Jay Madden

Dr. Jay Madden is the Executive Pastor at Peachtree. In this role, he is responsible for implementing the strategy and managing the ministry staff of the church.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in political science from Furman University, Jay spent 12 years owning and operating several businesses. When he sensed that God was calling him to serve the church, he joined the staff of First Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina as Evangelism Director. In the early 2000s, he moved to Chicago to serve as an Area Pastor at Willow Creek Community Church. While there, he earned a Master of Divinity degree from Bethel Seminary.

In 2009, Jay began a role at Peachtree as Pastor for Mission where he was responsible for both local and global mission partnerships. During his tenure, he completed his Doctor of Missiology degree from Fuller Seminary which focused on mutual transformation through mission. And in 2022, he began serving as the church’s Executive Pastor.

Jay is passionate about encouraging people to participate in God’s mission and to be transformed by their experiences. Jay’s other passions are spending quality time and traveling with his wife Rebecca, daughter Neale, and son William; watching Clemson football; and being in the great outdoors with his Labrador Retriever, Ranger.

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Bonhoeffer: Community, Discipleship, and Ethics

Dr. Eric Moore

Dr. Eric C. Moore is an affiliate instructor at Emory College, in addition to being a postdoctoral fellow at Candler School of Theology. Dr. Moore previously served as a Pitts Theology Library curatorial fellow. He has taught at the Interdenominational Theological Center, Roberts Wesleyan College, and Georgia Central University. Dr. Moore's research focuses on interpretation of the New Testament, particularly in light of ancient Mediterranean community and ritual practices. He is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the Society for Ancient Mediterranean Religions, and the Archaeological Institute of America.

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Nurturing Belief and Belonging: Engaging Paul's Letters to the Thessalonian Church

Rev. Wes Nichols

Rev. Wes Nichols is the Pastor for Belong. In this role, he oversees Sunday Belong Communities, Young Professionals, and Alpha.

Wes grew up attending Peachtree with his family. After graduating high school, he attended the University of Georgia where he received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Affairs. Post-college, Wes returned to Peachtree to work in Student Ministry. After receiving his Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary, he became a pastor at Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas. In 2023, Wes returned to Peachtree for the second time as the Pastor for Belong.

He and his wife Caroline live in Brookhaven. In their spare time, they love trying fun restaurants, being outside, and watching UGA football.

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A Brief Survey of Leviticus

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Marriage Prep

Rev. Deanne Townsend

Rev. Deanne Townsend serves as the Pastor for Family Ministry at Peachtree, committed to supporting the spiritual growth of families from newborns to college students. In her role, Deanne is dedicated to building strong, healthy relationships within families and promoting their involvement in the wider community.

She holds bachelor’s degrees in communication studies and children’s learning and development from the University of Massachusetts in addition to her Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary. Currently, she is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry at Duke University. Prior to joining Peachtree in 2015, she worked in Children and Family Ministry for Park Street Church, Tenth Presbyterian Church, and First Presbyterian Church of Augusta.

Deanne and her husband Trey have four children, Chandler, Chase, Claire, and Caroline; as well as two grandchildren Lyla Grace and James. She follows the Clemson Tigers with sheer devotion and has a deep-rooted love for anything pertaining to soccer.

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Faithful Families: Integrating Spiritual Practices at Home

Rev. Scott Tucker

After earning his bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Wake Forest University, Scott attended Columbia Theological Seminary, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. Following his seminary studies, Scott worked in various roles with non profit organizations throughout Atlanta and taught middle school religion courses at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, while also serving as the House Chaplain for an assisted living facility in Sandy Springs. With formal theological education and a background in teaching, he began teaching Adult Sunday School classes at Peachtree. He soon gravitated to the Grand Adult classes, eventually leading him to join Peachtree’s staff to serve this community.

Scott and his wife, Lauren, were high school sweethearts. They have two children, Clare and Whit, and an energetic dog, Butch. Scott enjoys spending his free time trying to master new recipes in the kitchen or on the grill, spending time with his family, watching the Braves and Falcons, and reading bad science fiction.

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More than Following the Bulletin