Staff from left to right: Pastor John Freeland; Jose Garcia - Pianist; Kimberly Thomas - Secretary; Eleanor Flanagan - Financial Administrator; Janet Walsh - Director of Music Ministries; Ini Emmah - Chef; Andy Hammer - Director of Ministries with Children and Youth
About Skyland’s Staff:
Pastor John W. Freeland of Atlanta, GA is originally from Gainesville, GA. He attended Georgia State University where he received a Bachelors of Business Administration in Human Resource Management in 1985 and then worked in banking until 1987. Leaving banking he pursued a career in education earning a Masters of Education in Prevocational Education for the Mentally Handicapped in 1990 from Georgia State University. After teaching children with special needs for several years, John went on a mission trip to Santa Barbara, RJ, Brazil where he was called to preach. He received a Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in 1998 and was ordained an Elder in the United Methodist Church in 2001.
His experiences enable John to speak to a diverse group of people about issues important to their spiritual growth. As a pastor he has worked with many people individually and corporately, through preaching, teaching, counseling, and discipleship. His honest and straightforward preaching and teaching is always based on the authority of the inspired, infallible Word of God. John is anointed in prayer ministry and focuses on the ministry of spiritual wholeness for individuals and congregations.
John and his wife Linda were married in 1979 and have two daughters. They reside in the Brookhaven area of Atlanta where John currently serves as pastor at Skyland Church. Contact Pastor Freeland at pastor@skylandumc.org
Andy Hammer was born and raised in the Atlanta area. He attended Auburn University where he received a Bachelors degree in Historical Abstractive Writing. He spent a year in Auburn working at a church dedicated to reaching out to college students. After his time in Auburn, he returned home to Atlanta where he spent a year working as a substitute teacher. During this time he served at Skyland in the children’s ministry and on the worship team. He was hired by Skyland in August of 2008 to be the director of children’s ministries, and in January of 2009 his role was expanded to Youth Pastor as well. Andy is dedicated to teach, disciple, and love the children and youth of this community. Contact Andy at youth@skylandumc.org
Janet Walsh Received a Bachelor’s of Music from Shorter College. She plays organ and piano and has directed music at Skyland Church for 38 years. She directs the adult and children’s choirs and is instrumental in Skyland’s Traditional Worship Service. Janet also works for Dekalb County Tax Commissioners. She and her husband Barry have four children and five grandsons. Contact Janet at music@skylandumc.org
José Manuel Garcia, born in Caracas, Venezuala, graduated from Emil Friedman Conservatory in 1992. He received his BM in piano performance from Clayton State College. While at Clayton, he studied with George Lucktenberg and Michiko Otaki. Mr. Garcia earned his Master of Music in piano performance from Georgia State University in 2001, while a student of Geoffrey Haydon. Mr. García holds a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Georgia, from the piano studio of Evgeny Rivkin. His prizes include the Spivey Foundation Scholarship, the 1991 Harriet Serr Piano competition, the second prize at the 1994 Moisés Moleiro National Piano competition, the 2004 UGA Franz Liszt Award, and the Madge Johnson Weir Award at the 2005 Beethoven Club International Piano Competition.
A Steinway Artist, Mr. García is also actively involved as a jazz pianist in Atlanta and throughout the United States. He has performed with internationally acclaimed artists such as Michael Philipp Mossman, Ray Vega, Bill Summers, Jennifer Holliday, El “Cano” Estremera, Luisito Rosario, Anthony Cruz, Willie González, Darmon Meador, Joe Jennings and Ilona Knopfler. Mr. García is a founder of International Groove Conspiracy, an Atlanta-based trio that has played at major venues in the nation, including the Atlanta Jazz Festival, the Montreaux Jazz Festival, the Rialto Center for the Arts, Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre, and the Blue Note in New York City.
Kimberly Thomas joined the staff in April 1997. She completed the PAUMCS Institute Certification Program in 1998 at Emory University. Kimberly is an active member of the National and Georgia Chapter of the Professional Association of UMC Secretaries and serves on the Ways & Means Committee, and attends the annual conferences.
Kimberly is a dedicated staff member who exudes Christian love and concern for others. Keeping the church office running smoothly is her main task and that includes everything from overseeing day-to-day office operations to working with the pastor, other staff, and volunteers on church projects. Kimberly and her husband, Henry have two children. Kimberly enjoys gardening, traveling, and movies. Contact Kimberly at secretary@skylandumc.org
Eleanor Flanagan is a native of Atlanta, GA. She attended Georgia State University and worked in the investment banking industry for 18 years before retiring to become a full-time mother and part-time Finance Officer and volunteer at Skyland Church. She has served at Skyland in various ways including working with the youth and intercessory prayer. She is married and has 3 children.
Ini Emmah was born is Etinan in the Akwa Ibom state of Nigeria. One of five children, he attended a missionary primary school and later went to a missionary secondary school. Upon graduation, he went to the University of Nigeria where he received a Bachelor of Science in International Politics. In May 1981, he came to the United States for further studies. He attended the University of Central Oklahoma where he obtained Masters degrees in both Business Administration and International Relations. He later moved to Atlanta to attend Clark-Atlanta University where he received another Bachelor’s degree. Ini is married with two boys aged 14 and 12. He has been a proud citizen of the United States since 2004 and currently is the General Manager for Panda Restaurant Group which has 2,500 units in the United States. Ini has been the chef at Skyland Church since 1998.