Church Staff

Rick is a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the PCUSA. He has pastored churches in upstate New York and Miami, Florida, and he has served as a hospital chaplain at Northside Hospital here in Atlanta. He has been a teacher all his life, working with children and adults in secular as well as church settings.

He holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education degrees from Lehigh University, and a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. He taught elementary children in Bethlehem, PA, before entering seminary.

Rick served small, rural churches in upstate New York, and then the First Presbyterian Church of Waterville, NY, where he was ordained. Later he was called as a co-pastor to Riviera Presbyterian Church in Miami, FL, where he served in the midst of urban and multi-ethnic people. While in Miami he worked extensively with Habitat for Humanity, the Miami Coalition for the Homeless, and the Hurricane Andrew recovery effort.

Here, in the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, Rick serves on the Pastoral Team, which provides pastoral care for pastors. He and Church of the New Covenant are part of the Macedonian Ministry program, a supportive and energizing partnership of many of our smaller congregations.

He is very excited about the ministries of our congregation and the opportunities that abound for serving our community. Worshipping, praying and enjoying fellowship with this congregation greatly enrich his life.

Rick has three grown daughters, two of whom have growing families of their own. Rick’s wife, Ellen Herbert, is a graphic arts consultant. Together they enjoy spending as much time as possible with their five grandchildren.

David Buice

We welcomed our new Music Director, David Buice on January 10, 2010. David will lead our choir and handbell ringers every week.

David is Performing-Artist-in-Residence at Oglethorpe University, where he accompanies the University Singers under the direction of Dr. W. Irwin Ray. He is also Harpsichordist-in-Residence at Oglethorpe University Museum of Art, where he performs concerts and recitals on harpsichords, clavichords and fortepiano. His many years of church music experience is truly a gift to us. We welcome him warmly into the CNC church family!!

George Tatro works primarily in the areas of outreach ministries and evangelism, and he will also be helping out with pastoral care and worship leadership.

George has been an apartment manager in Chamblee since 1992, and his involvement in the community will be a real asset in developing programs and outreach. He is President of the Chamblee-Doraville Apartment Manager's Association and has been a member since its inception.

George has recently earned a Master of Divinity degree at Columbia Theological Seminary. He has led several immigrant encounters for the seminary's Alternative Context as well as Faith and the City -- an interfaith community-building dialogue. He is a member of GALEO (Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials), who sponsored the recent community leadership workshops that were held here.

Gail is a native of Roswell, GA. She attended Georgia College in Milledgeville, where she also worked with the child welfare system. She later enrolled at Agnes Scott College and earned her degree in Bible and Religion there.

While attending North Decatur Presbyterian Church (which she still does), she met her husband, Bill. Soon after they married, Bill took a teaching position at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA. Their daughters, Ella and Hannah were born there and Gail began her career as a stay-at-home Mom. In 2004, the family moved to Decatur, where Bill was called to teach Old Testament at Columbia Seminary. Gail enjoys being the mother of two very active teenage girls and feels blessed to be a part of the work God is doing at Church or the New Covenant.