Permanent Staff
Greetings! My name is Allen Huff, and I have served as pastor of Jonesborough Presbyterian Church since October, 2010. Ordained in 1996 after completing my M.Div. at Columbia Theological Seminary, I served solo and associate pastorates in Mebane, NC and Shelby, NC.
Of particular interest to me
are the joys of preaching, facilitating book studies,
congregational visitation, and working with the
Jonesborough Area Ministerial Association (JAMA). When
not tending to pastoral responsibilities, you might find
me reading, writing, playing my guitar, or riding my
motorcycle through the beautiful mountains of east TN
and western NC.
My wife, Marianne, and I enjoy
finding out-of-the-way trails where we can revel in the
wonder of God's creation. We also enjoy listening to
folk music, watching good movies, eating Marianne’s
fantastic cooking, and trying to keep up with our two
grown children, Ben and Elizabeth, and our grandson,
Porter, all of whom live here in Washington County, TN.
I have been the pastor of
Jonesborough Presbyterian Church for more than a decade
and continue to be grateful to be a part of this
welcoming, active, and fun congregation.
Please come join us any Sunday
morning. You will find a warm welcome awaiting you!
Jane Wasem is our Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries.
She is a native of Atlanta and a graduate of Milligan University (B.A. in Psychology, 2006) and Emmanual Christian Seminary (MDiv in Christian Care & Counseling, 2010). After seminary, she completed the hospital chaplaincy residency program at Johnson City Medical Center, which proved to be a very formative and meaningful year.
Over the past 20 years, Jane has served in several churches and denominations in the roles of youth director, preacher, outreach coordinator, and worship planner. Travel and missions have also been important experiences for her, including trips to Venezuela, Europe, and the Middle East. Jane is fascinated by the intersection of psychology, theology, personality, & culture. She also loves working in the areas of pastoral care and spiritual formation, and helping the church become who it was created and called to be. She is passionate about encouraging, walking alongside, and advocating for those of all ages who do good work in a variety of contexts.
For fun, Jane loves traveling, cooking, and coffee (in many forms). She loves to bake, and enjoys combining recipes (a trait passed down from her grandparents on both sides). And she rarely bakes the same thing twice. She loves poetry, particularly Mary Oliver, and has loved many different styles of music for as long as she can remember. Her favorite writers are Henri Nouwen and Barbara Brown Taylor, whom she had the great pleasure of meeting in 2019.
She is very excited to join the JPC family. She loves the warm, creative, thoughtful, seeking, and loving spirit she has seen here. After a season of vocational discernment, she feels that JPC is the specific community God has led her and her family to as they return to the Presbyterian Church and continue to seek to fulfill God's call for their family. Jane lives in Johnson City with her husband, two spirited, loving and artistic children, as well as their dog, their cat, and their hamster.
Cherry Smith, music director at Jonesborough Presbyterian Church, has been involved in church music since the early years of her life.
Growing up in the Leesburg community in Washington county, TN, she became assistant pianist and youth choir director of her home church, Leesburg Presbyterian Church, at the age of 16! After serving in many churches of several denominations, she feels that being back in the Presbyterian church is like a "home-coming" in her Christian journey.
After high school graduation from Washington College Academy in 1963, Cherry received degrees from Virginia Intermont College for Girls, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and a BS in Music Education and Master of Arts from ETSU.
Now retired from teaching music in public schools for 43 yrs., Cherry feels her position here at JPC is even more challenging! Spending many hours in planning music for choir members of various age levels is very rewarding in so many ways. Seeing a young child sing a solo for the first time, watching a hand-bell choir perform at JPC and in the community, hearing a senior adult read a narration part in a Christmas Cantata, or just hearing a choir member say"I listened to our recorded CD and we sounded great!" makes the position of music director not only worth-while but assures the choir director that she is doing what God has called her to do!
Since 2005 Cherry has seen the members of the music department become more active in town and community activities! The productions at the McKinney Center have been rewarding for children through senior adults. Town events like Historic Jonesborough Days and the Chuckey Depot Museum fundraisers have been favorites. And in 2022, the Golden Heirs Choir were carolers for the Heritage Alliance event "The Progressive Dinner."
Jerilyn Paolini, Pianist
In addition to her duties as staff pianist at Jonesborough Presbyterian Church, Jeri teaches applied and class piano at East Tennessee State University, as well as directs ETSU's Summer Piano Camp. Jeri also enjoys teaching elementary through adult piano students at Paolini’s Piano Studio.
She served two biennium as president of the Appalachian Music Teachers Association, and currently serves as president of the Tennessee Music Teachers Association.
Jeri previously held the position of principal keyboard player with the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra. Prior to coming to Johnson City, Jeri held a staff accompanist position at The Juilliard School in New York City, and taught at area New York music schools.
She holds undergraduate and graduate performance degrees from Southern Illinois University and the University of Texas.
Kelli Maryanski, Office Manager
Sarah Gibson, Treasurer
Debbie Walls, Nursery
