Reverend Marcus Dodson
Reverend Marcus Dodson serves full-time as the chaplain/discharge planner at Transylvania Regional Hospital which includes serving as chaplain to CareParnters Hospice (27 years).
He serves as quarter-time pastor of Lake Toxaway United Methodist Church. In 2020 he was reappointed for his 26th year at Lake Toxaway UMC and enjoys the opportunity to be bi-vocational. Marcus began to experience his call to Christian ministry as a teenager. He continues to enjoy pursing his growth as a minister and Christian through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, practices of spiritual discipline and accountability to a couple of close friends. He shares “the boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places for him (Psalm 16).” He is a graduate of Furman University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and completed his chaplaincy training at UNC Hospitals.
Marcus’ wife, Kim, is an ordained deacon and serves in a part-time position at First United Methodist Church, Brevard. They have been married for 31 years and have three adult children, Maggie, Jeremy, and Emilee. Maggie graduated from Virginia Tech and lives in Syracuse, NY. Jeremy graduated from Georgia Tech and lives in Atlanta, GA. Emilee is a junior at NC State University. The family is completed with two pets: Gray, a Golden Retriever and Georgie, a calico cat.
Charlie Steele: Organist
We are very pleased to announce the addition of Organist to our staff at Lake Toxaway United Methodist Church. Dr. Charlie W. Steele has agreed to become a member of our outstanding team.
Charlie identifies with this rural area, as he grew up on a farm in southwestern Virginia and began playing the organ at age 12. His unique and extensive musical background includes many milestones:
- B.A. (With Honors) and M.A. degrees in music from Radford University.
- During and after college, he served as organist in various churches in Virginia.
- Served 17 years at First Methodist Church of Brevard as Director of Music/Organist.
- Completed the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree at the University of Kentucky.
- Served 17 years at Brevard-Davidson River Presbyterian as Minister of Music and Organist.
Saunders Grommesh: Church Administrator
Effective April 15th, 2020, Mrs. Saunders Grommesh accepted the new role of our new Church Administrator for our special Lake Toxaway United Methodist Church.
This is a part-time position, designed through an extensive job description to:
- Support the numerous committees from our congregation who are charged with leading the spiritual and financial health of this special, 108-year-old church; and
- Work with Pastor Marcus Dodson for the church administration and the process for weekly worship; and
- Develop and maintain records for the church, including member and visitor contacts and communications; and
- Establish updated communications capabilities for the church, including our website and social media.
