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She is an accomplished vocalist, pianist, choral conductor, and handbell musician with extensive experience in both education and church music ministry.
Since 2019, Tammara has served at the Academy for Classical Education (ACE) in Macon, where she teaches junior high piano and directs the senior high choir. She also coaches students in literary competitions, helping them achieve regional and state championships. She is deeply loved by her students and colleagues, and it is easy to understand why.
Before her work at ACE, Tammara served as Director of Music Ministries at Christ United Methodist Church in Warner Robins. She has also taught music at Middle Georgia State University and operated her own private voice and piano studio here in Perry.
But Tammara's connection to Perry Methodist goes back many years. She previously helped lead music in our children's ministry and, since 2021, has served as a music assistant, working alongside Dr. Jane Kimbrel, supporting our choirs, and participating in worship.
In other words, Tammara is not simply coming to Perry Methodist. In many ways, she is already part of our church family.
On a personal note, Tammara and her husband, Erik, have been married for 11 years. Erik works at Robins Air Force Base. They have a nine-year-old daughter, Clara, who currently attends the Academy for Classical Education and will be starting at Langston Road Elementary School in January.
We are excited to welcome and celebrate the entire Shipes family as they begin this new chapter together!
As impressive as Tammara's résumé is, what excites me most is the person behind it. Tammara loves the Lord, loves people, and understands that music in the church is about far more than beautiful performances. It is about helping people worship God, grow in faith, and experience the grace of Jesus Christ.
Tammara will finish her semester at ACE on December 18. We want to honor her commitment to the students and colleagues who mean so much to her. Her official start date with us will be January 1, 2027.
Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future
I also want to acknowledge something important about this season in the life of our church.
Transitions are rarely simple, especially when they follow the ministry of someone who has meant so much to so many.
We remain profoundly grateful for Dr. Jane Kimbrel, for her years of faithful service, and for the extraordinary musical legacy she has given Perry Methodist Church.
Jane poured her heart, her gifts, and her life into this ministry. The beauty of that work will continue to bless our congregation for years to come.
And it is only natural that a transition like this brings a mixture of emotions. There is gratitude for what has been, sadness over what has changed, uncertainty about what comes next, and, yes, excitement about what God may be doing.
Those emotions do not have to compete with one another. We can honor and cherish the past while also welcoming the future with hope.
I am especially thankful for the wonderful people who have helped lead us through this transition.
Dr. Carol Goff, David "DM" Kenney, Mark Blankenship, Tami Daniels, and Tammara Shipes have each contributed their gifts, time, and energy to help our music ministry continue moving forward. Along with our choir members, handbell ringers, and so many faithful volunteers, they have served with remarkable generosity, flexibility, and grace.
They have done much more than simply make sure the music continues on Sunday mornings. They have helped us continue to worship God faithfully while also making room for the very real emotions that accompany change.
That is no small gift, and I want them to know how deeply grateful I am.
I also want to express my sincere appreciation to our Music Search Committee, chaired by Eunice Andrews. This group has invested countless hours in prayer, conversation, listening, discernment, and careful consideration. They approached this responsibility with a genuine desire to seek God's will and serve the long-term health of our church. Their faithful leadership has been a tremendous blessing.
And I am grateful to our Staff-Parish Relations Committee, chaired by Buddy Roper, for its support and leadership as we begin this new chapter.
Looking Toward Christmas and Beyond
Although Tammara's official start date is January 1, we are especially grateful that she will be helping provide leadership for our Sanctuary Choir as they prepare for the Christmas season, working alongside Carol Goff and DM Kenney.
This is a wonderful opportunity for us to begin moving forward together, building relationships and preparing our hearts to celebrate the birth of Christ.
One of the things I love most about the church is that God is always at work among us. We inherit the faithfulness of those who came before us, and then we are invited to offer our own gifts for what God is doing next.
That is how the church grows. Not by forgetting its past, but by building faithfully upon it.
I am excited about the musical gifts Tammara brings. But even more, I am excited about the relationships she will build, the people she will encourage, the gifts she will help others discover, and the ways she will help us worship and follow Jesus together.
Our goal has never been simply to have excellent music. Our goal is to help people encounter the living God through worship.
And I believe Tammara understands that deeply.
Please join me in welcoming Tammara, Erik, and Clara; praying for Tammara as she finishes her semester at ACE; and thanking all those who have so faithfully served during this season of transition.
I am so grateful for where God has brought us, and I am genuinely excited about where He is leading us next.
Grace and Peace,
Tom
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