Staff
Reverend Dave Helfrich, Pastor
Pastor Dave Helfrich has served as pastor for Resurrection since 2006. Prior to moving to Georgia, he served congregations in Virginia and Maryland. He graduated from Gettysburg Seminary and has served as pastor for 30 years. He is committed to deepening people's relationships with Jesus Christ and believes the church's mission is to build the Kingdom of God by doing exactly that.
Pastor Dave has been married to his wife, Sharon, for 35 years with one daughter, Christen, who is married to Andy Morrison, both members of Resurrection. An avid Green Bay Packers fan and car buff, Pastor Dave enjoys sports, traveling and people. One of his guiding principles in life is "the only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth."
Reverend Ted Coleman, Sabbatical Pastor
Email: pastorted@lcrmarietta.org
Phone: 770.953.3193
A member of the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection since 2009, Ted Coleman is a retired Lutheran pastor. Pastor Ted became a Lutheran Christian as an adult, became re-tooled for Lutheran parish ministry at Lutheran Southern Theological Seminary in Columbia, SC, and retired recently after 20 years as an ELCA Lutheran pastor. Before his retirement and coming to LCR, he served as pastor of First United Lutheran Church in Kennesaw, GA.
As sabbatical pastor, Pastor Ted is serving in the pastoral role, preaching, providing pastoral care and working part-time at the church through June 30. During Pastor Dave's absence, he can be reached at the office Monday (10 a.m.-noon), Tuesday (10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.) and Wednesday (7:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m.).
Pastor Ted is married to Susan Gayvert Coleman who recently retired as Systems Librarian at Georgia Tech. They have a blended family with four adult daughters and seven grandchildren and live in Sandy Springs.
Kerry Ackerson, Director, Ministry
Email: kerry@LCRMarietta.org
Phone: 770.953.3193 ext. 22
Kerry has been a Lutheran in Atlanta nearly all her life. A member of Resurrection for nearly 20 years, Kerry joined the staff in 2005 following a career in marketing. As Director of Ministry, she serves as executive advisor to Pastor Dave and the Church Council providing insight on strategic planning and vision progress. Her work includes ministry integration, volunteer management and policy/structure development. When not enjoying East Cobb life with her daughter Caitlyn, she spends as much time as possible “in the country” with husband, Peter, and their six cows, two dogs, two cats and twenty-plus chickens.
Sharon Leon, Children’s Ministry Coordinator
Email: sharon@lcrmarietta.org
Phone: 770-953-3193 ext. 24
Sharon grew up in the Lutheran Church, taught Sunday School and served as Superintendent of Sunday School at her prior congregation in New Jersey. She moved to East Cobb in 2007 along with her husband, Richard, and son, Andre, and joined Resurrection. With a background in early childhood development, Sharon used her gifts and talents to serve as vice president of the Wheeler High School Marching Band Booster Club as well as Band Camp Coordinator where she successfully recruited and led student and adult volunteers. Her friends jokingly refer to her as Mary Poppins and Martha Stewart with her bottomless pocketbook of supplies and her uncanny ability to fix or create anything in need.
Helen Weiss Phelps, Director, Worship & Music Ministries
Email: helen@LCRMarietta.org
Phone: 770.953.3193 ext. 15
Helen Weiss Phelps, a life-long Lutheran from Colorado, has served as Resurrection’s Director of Worship & Music Ministries since 2000. She has a bachelor’s degree in organ performance from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. In addition to her experience in musical direction, she also has a background in Preschool Music, Parish Administration and Banking. Helen and husband David, an advertising agency art director, live in Woodstock, GA.
Andrea Roche, Director, Children & Youth Ministries
Email: andrea@LCRmarietta.org
Phone: 770.953.3193 ext. 14
Andrea is a native Georgian, born and raised on Lake Lanier. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in religion from Furman University and continued her education at Columbia Theological Seminary, receiving her Masters of Divinity in 2008. Andrea enjoys developing activities that help children and youth deepen their relationships with Jesus Christ. Her passion is guiding youth to learn what their faith means to them and how they can live Christ-centered lives as they cope with challenges faced daily. When she is away from church, Andrea loves spending time with her dog Sidney, the most adorable German Shepherd/Corgi you’ll ever meet!
Sigrid Thies-Smith, Interim Bookkeeper
Email: bookkeeper@LCRMarietta.org
Phone: 770.953.3193 ext. 24