GTCC Hires a New Worship Director - Chip Demetri
- Jul 8, 2010
Greentree Community Church is excited to announce the hiring of our new Director of Worship – Chip Demetri. Some of you may remember that Chip and his wife Peggy jumped right in and worked alongside us during 20:28 Serve Our 
City in June, and then Chip led us in worship that Sunday morning. It became evident during the interview process that Chip and Peggy share our passion for the truth and grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ, loving and serving our neighbors and the community, and planting churches. In Chip’s own words:
We have a clear sense from God that we are to continue focusing on worship and on leading a community of worshippers into a deeper fellowship with God and with each other. We envision a ministry that exists primarily between Sundays, as people live in intentional and authentic community with each other. The Sunday service is an important element of Christian life that should be done with excellence unto the Lord. However, I believe it should be the culmination of worship that is already going on through the lifestyles of the worshipping community during the week.
To give you a little background on the Demetri family … Chip and Peggy began their life together as University of Texas Longhorns. Heading northeast, Chip served as Worship Leader at Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tennesee. Then Chip and Peggy helped plant a church in Nashville that grew to 1,200 in four years with close to 200 people serving in the worship ministry. While in Nashville, their three boys were born, Joshua (12), Zachary (10) and Nathan (8). In 2002, Chip and Peggy and their three little boys struck out for the mission field in Cusco, Peru. According to Chip, “This was an amazing experience in which we learned much about another culture and language and had the blessing to be used by God to make an impact in the lives of many Peruvians. “ Which brings us to Eugene, Oregon, where the Demetri family currently call home and where Chip serves as Worship Pastor at a local church.
We are grateful to the Lord for bringing us together with Chip and his family. We are excited about the years of experience Chip brings, building and leading worship ministries, training and equipping teams, developing musical and creative gifts, and teaching about the signficance of worship in our lives. Chip, in turn, is looking forward to getting to know the people of Greentree, especially those involved in the worship ministry. He believes that all ministry and service flows from our worship, so he is anticipating dreaming up new avenues to present the gospel in creative and relevant ways through worship.
Chip and his family have a house to sell in Oregon and church family and friends to say goodbye to, so we do not have a start date locked down yet, but are hoping to have them with us sometime in August. Remember to keep Chip, Peggy, Joshua, Zachary and Nathan in your prayers as they live and work in transition. When we get a better idea as to when Chip will start, we will pass along more information.
Thank you for your patience and prayers during this search process. Thank you also to our dear friend, Steve Heerboth, for once again stepping in during this time of transition, serving and leading us in worship on Sunday mornings. I cannot forget all of our volunteers on the Worship Team who have continued to faithfully provide quality music and lead us every Sunday morning to the feet of Jesus.
Last but not least, it was a pleasure to work with the men and women on our Worship Director Search Team. I am grateful for the countless hours they spent in prayer, listening to and watching Worship DVDs, screening applicants, and interviewing candidates. Not a task for the faint hearted. Join me in thanking Steve Erhardt, Tammy Higgins, Tim Holley, Sara McGinnis, Jeff Mugg, Nate Ricks and Fred Rohlfing.
Only By His Grace,
Dr. Tom Ricks
The lead pastor of Norkenzie Christian Church in Eugene, Oregon, announced to his congregation on Sunday, July 4, 2010, that their Worship Director, Chip Demetri, would be moving his family to St. Louis, Missouri and taking a new job as Director of Worship at Greentree Community Church. To read his gracious and amazing message about Chip and GTCC, click here.
