MEET OUR STAFF

Rev. Patrick Harley joined Evergreen in July of 2020 (what a time to pick-up and move, huh?), and is having a blast with this incredible community of faith. Patrick, an East Tennessee native, earned a BA from Auburn University and a Master's of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary. Before finding his way back to Tennessee, Patrick served as the founding Campus Minister for UKirk Birmingham, and before that he pastored Ottawa Presbyterian Church in Ohio.

Patrick has served on various committees, planning teams, and task forces within the life of the Presbyterian denomination, often focusing on programs with youth and young adults and social justice. Patrick became an advocate, most especially, for the Young Adult Volunteer program of the PCUSA after his year between college and seminary serving in a Peacemaking and Reconciliation program in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

When he's not doing pastor things, Patrick can be found hanging out with his partner, CK, and their two dogs. He’s a runner, reader, and french fry-eater.

My name is Corey Martin and I am extremely excited about this opportunity to join the Evergreen family!

I’m from the backwoods of Woodstock, Tennessee and the soulfulness Soulsville is what they call it. I graduated from Millington Central High school in 2013 and I just graduated this past May from Alcorn State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music with an Education & Psychology concentration. 

Under the leadership of Rev. James Fifer, I accepted Christ and was baptized at the early age of seven. I can remember my mom and dad purchasing me a karaoke because I would always go home and preach the sermon I heard that Sunday morning. Growing up I was extremely involved in the church. As a matter of fact, it was one Sunday at Youth Day that I realized I wanted to use the gift of singing and entertaining for the rest of my life.

Since then God has used me in more ways than I could’ve ever imagined! I’ve had the honor of performing at Carnegie Hall in New York, all over the city of Memphis, and even 22 cities across Europe. I’ve had the opportunity to be in the movies “Get on up”, “Ma”, and “Uncorked.” I’m a living witness that if you stay faithful over a few things, God will make you ruler over many.

My goal every day is to not only inspire someone to be better than they were the day before, but to put a smile on someone’s face each day. My long-term goal is to use arts a vehicle to inspire, nurture, and heal our communities. Again, I am beyond grateful for this opportunity, and look forward to meeting and fellowshipping with my new Evergreen family!

Rev. Beatrix Weil serves as the Chaplain of Rhodes College and the Parish Associate of Evergreen Presbyterian Church. She was ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in July 2017.

She has served in many different contexts, including a high school, hospital, college campus ministry, and numerous churches of different traditions. She attended Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div., 2017) and the University of Notre Dame (BBA, 2014), but grew up just outside of New York City. Her favorite places in Memphis are Overton Park and Crosstown Concourse. She enjoys swimming and playing Irish sports like hurling and Gaelic football.

Rev. Beatrix Weil leads our Nourish Circle. You can submit your pastoral care request right at www.evergreenmemphis.org/nourish.

Latifa has lived in Memphis since she was eleven years old, so she considers herself to be a native at this point! She graduated from Raleigh Egypt High (Class of 2009) and attended the University of Memphis, graduating in 2013 with a BA in English: Professional Writing (Go Tigers!).  

She thinks of herself as a sort of Jack (or Jill) of all trades and has dabbled in everything from teaching first grade to being a birthing doula. However, she mostly considers herself to be an artist!

When she’s not handling communications and projects for the church, you can find her creating art, drawing on her Ipad, sitting in any number of coffee shops around the 901, or observing nature.

Katherine Whitfield Baker began serving as Evergreen’s new permenant Music Director in the Spring of 2023, and she is still overjoyed by the opportunity to engage with music and the church community in this new, energizing way. A native Tennessean and proud Memphian since 2000, Katherine has been singing since she could form sounds and started playing piano at the age of 3 (with lots of stops and starts along the way). She holds a BA in Creative Writing from Rhodes College, where she attended a number of meaningful celebrations and ceremonies at Evergreen’s original University Street location, and in 2017, she graduated from Memphis Theological Seminary with an M.Div. emphasizing faith, health and social justice. Currently, Katherine works as a freelance copywriter supporting corporate and nonprofit organizations in Memphis and beyond; she can also be found around town playing washboard in the Memphis-based jug band, the Side Street Steppers.

In her free time Katherine enjoys taking walks, reading, snacking and spending time with her husband, Justin, and their growing family of four-legged friends.