Church Staff

Tom is a native of Montrose, Pennsylvania. He received his undergraduate education at The Pennsylvania State University where he was an organ student of June Miller and served as organist for the Lutheran Student Parish and the Catholic Chapel Choir. Tom held several organist positions in Chapel Hill and Hillsborough before becoming Watt Street’s organist in January 1998.

Tom is active in the Durham-Chapel Hill Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, having served many years as secretary. Tom is also very interested in Christian spirituality, particularly in the areas of Sabbath and simplicity.

In addition to his musical interests, Tom is an avid knitter and crocheter. He also serves as Business Administrator of First Presbyterian Church of Durham.

Dorisanne Cooper came to Watts Street in July 2014. She has a master of divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary and a bachelor of arts from Baylor University. Dorisanne is married to David Tatum and they have one son, Adam, a third grader. Their family is completed by Lucy, the dog. Dorisanne enjoys reading, watching basketball, homemade pizza, Poet Billy Collins, and most recently a study of Author Joan Chittister and the religious text the “Rule of Benedict.” Before coming to Watts Street, she served as the Senior Pastor of Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco, Texas, and Associate Pastor of College Park Baptist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Sherrill is a recent transplant from Oakland, California, and third of seven children raised in Sonoma County. A lifelong Christian, Sherrill has three decades of high quality work in all aspects of customer service, sales, and communication across multiple levels, industries, and locations. For the past 5 years, she was the much beloved Church Administrator at Montclair Presbyterian Church in Oakland. She has extraordinary computer and office management skills and high moral character and is a responsible, creative problem solver, who is friendly, organized, realistic, and unafraid of new challenges. Sherrill and her partner, Barbara Wrigley, and their three small dogs live in the Pickett Crossing neighborhood of Durham.

Esther is originally from Jacksonville, Florida. She joined the ministerial staff at Watts Street in 2013. Esther earned a master of divinity degree from Campbell University Divinity School and was ordained at First Baptist Church in Raleigh. She received a master of science in business administration from Boston University and a bachelor of arts degree in Business Administration and English from Wesleyan College.

Esther provides leadership to the congregation with a particular emphasis on helping the church’s children and their families deepen their relationships with God, each other, and the wider world through Christian education, spiritual development, congregational care, and action.

Esther is married to Tim and they have two children, Laura and John.  Esther enjoys going to the theater, reading, singing, cooking (especially Lebanese food), and spending time with her family.

Kelly grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he served as Minister of Youth and Outreach at Mountain Grove Baptist Church in Hickory, North Carolina (1992-94). While attaining a masters of divinity degree from the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, he served as Minister with Youth and Children at Hunton Baptist Church in Glen Allen, Virginia (1994-1997). After seminary, Kelly moved back to North Carolina to serve as Minister of Youth and Family Life at First Baptist Church, Morganton, North Carolina (1997-2003). Kelly joined the Watts Street staff as Minister with Children, Youth, and their Families in September 2003.

Kelly is married to Elizabeth, and in 2011, they welcomed their daughter, Wren, into the world. In April 2011, Kelly cut back to working 3/4 time as Minister with Youth and Their Families in order to spend more time with Wren.

Kelly’s ministry goals include helping young people experience the grace of God, grow as followers of Jesus, discover their gifts and abilities, and begin to give of themselves in Christian service and witness. Other interests include the ideas of Christian community, servant leadership, and the inward/outward journey. Favorite pastimes include hiking, playing basketball, listening to music, watching movies, and enjoying pineapple/banana milkshakes at Cook-Out.

Melody Zentner graduated from Ithaca College School of Music in New York with a bachelor of music degree and received her permanent certification in Music Education through Crane School of Music in Potsdam, New York. She taught in the New York State Public School system for 20 years, regularly receiving the highest ratings in State Festivals and competitions with her choral groups and private students. In 1999, Melody, Jeff, and daughters Morgan and Jessica moved to Durham where Melody taught vocal music at Durham Academy Middle School for 16 years. Melody is the Conductor of the Durham Community Choir.