CHURCH ADVOCACY GROUP
WHAT IS THE CHURCH ADVOCACY GROUP?
A small, select group of church members (men and women) with particular gifts (some with particular professional training) who are equipped and available to other church members in moments of crisis, extraordinary situations, and/or a potential abusive situation or circumstance.
If a church member has suffered harm or needs immediate help, they can speak with someone in the Church Advocacy Group. Members can always reach out to pastors and elders, but if an individual does not feel comfortable with one of the pastors or their elder, a person can contact an individual on this team.
The general purpose of CAG is to provide a safe and secure place for our people to come and be acknowledged. The goal will be to inform, assist, and connect individuals with those who are most responsible to address and solve a specific situation or grievance in a biblical, gospel-centered manner. Additionally, this group exists to provide an extra layer of accountability between the Session and the people at Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
Redeemer’s Church Advocacy Group Members
James Chafin
James came to Redeemer in 2008 and serves the church as an elder. He and his wife Patricia live in Athens with their two daughters. James has worked with survivors of various forms of abuse for nearly 20 years as a prosecutor in Clarke, Oconee and Jackson County.
Kristin Sigalas
Kristin has been married to her husband George for over thirty years and has been a member of Redeemer since 2000. She has served on staff for over twenty years and now is the Director of Women’s Ministries. Through her years at Redeemer, she has had the privilege of walking with many women who have found themselves in difficult circumstances. She has been grateful to see God at work in and through various trials in the lives of others as well as in her own life, and has been grateful for the sound and wise biblical counsel that can be found in the church.
Leigh Koski
Leigh has been a part of the Redeemer community for almost 25 years. She has 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren. She has been involved in educating elementary school-aged children for about 4 decades, including teaching in Clarke County public schools and working at Downtown Academy in numerous ways. Through his great love and grace, God has used multiple trials, especially involving family, to help her grow, to know and love him more deeply, and to move toward others. He continues to work in her a desire to come alongside others as they struggle through trials and pain, so that they have hope and are drawn to biblical truth and a deeper relationship with himself.
Conor McCullough
Conor is a lawyer for a transactional and estate planning firm and is a registered neutral with the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution. He and his wife Katie have been members at Redeemer since 2015. They have three children. Prior to going to law school, Conor worked for Young Life.
Jessica Farriba
Jessica is local to the Athens area. She has two young kids and a husband who teaches and coaches at a local high school. Jessica spent some time abroad working at a non-profit for special needs kids and families who had experienced trauma before pursuing her education in Social Work. Upon graduation, she worked for 7 years with children and families who were victims of abuse or witnesses to abuse.
Deborah Ragland
Deborah and her husband met and married at Redeemer in 2001. In 2006, they returned and have volunteered in various ways including Redeemer’s Renew ministry. Out of her own struggles personally and overcoming marital obstacles, God has grown a desire in her to walk alongside other women one-on-one and in small group settings. She has 2 teenage children and currently works part time in finance in the Athens community.
Reach out to the church advocacy group
The Church Advocacy Group is working on the best ways to contact them through an online portal. In the meantime, if you have any questions about CAG, please click here to direct your email to a member of this group.