Elder Nominees

Ben Herring

After finishing our schooling in Memphis, my wonderful wife Heidi and I moved back to her hometown of Knoxville in 2011. A few years later we welcomed our first child Jonah and enjoyed being parents so much we had two more children – our daughter Charlotte and our youngest son Aiden. Being a husband to Heidi and a dad to our three great kids has been the most wonderful and rewarding part of my life.

Over the summer, Debby Brownlee reached out to me regarding serving as an Elder at Grace. In considering the position in prayer and with Heidi, I felt it important to come alongside our leaders and the body at Grace to support God’s work. Our family has attended Grace since its inception and it will be an honor to serve the Grace family just as it has served us through these many years. God has great plans yet in store for our nation, our city, and our church and I look forward to working alongside Him and you in that effort.

It’s been said that the Written Word unveils and reveals the Living Word, Jesus Christ. As evidence, I cannot think about how Jesus has impacted me without thinking about how the Bible has impacted me. Most importantly the Epistles have drawn me, as shown by the worn pages toward the back of all my Bibles. From these I’ve learned the most about myself and my Savior – about His love for me and how I fit into His Body, about His will for my life and how to follow Him.

To encourage myself and others toward knowing the Living Word, I think I would pick two portions of scripture: 2 Timothy 2:15 – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” and Philippians 3:10-14 – “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings…reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Carol Ottaviano

My faith journey began as I was baptized and confirmed in the Presbyterian church in Dallas, but I didn’t come to “true saving faith” until I was 16 years old. Ever since then, the Lord has been working on me- sometimes as I resisted! Many years later, I came to the point of surrender, realizing that He was in control- and always has been.

My life verse is Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Through life’s twists and turns, He has shown me that He is always faithful and never leaves us!

I am truly humbled to be nominated as Elder of Grace, having been here since Grace’s inception, and joining as a founding Covenant Partner. The Lord has led me to serve on the Mission Team for many years as He grows my heart for women who face unexpected challenges and difficult transitions in their lives. In this calling, I also serve as a volunteer at Serenity Ministries (one of our ministry partners) and as a Stephen Minister at Ft. Sanders Hospital.

After being widowed in 2002, I married Joe Ottaviano in 2010. We enjoy co-leading a weekly Sunday school class at Grace. We have a beautiful, messy blended family that includes 3 daughters, one son, 6 grandchildren and 4 grand-dogs!

Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain”. If it is His will, I am looking expectantly to be a co-laborer with the Lord as He leads the way.

Jim Wallace

My commitment to Jesus is a daily walk, but never a straight path. I need Jesus to show me how to live on this Earth and how to treat my fellow humans. I need him to be my friend, when I feel alone. I need him to correct me when my Earthly desires are pulling me in the wrong direction. I need to praise him every day as I have been immensely blessed. I am also blessed to be a part of a weekly Men’s group that has been my “bridge to Sunday” as we meet every Wednesday morning for the past 30 years or so. These Men are crucial to my faith walk.

My wife and family are a source of encouragement and happiness. We enjoy a special relationship.

My call to accept the invitation to is based on timing as I am reducing my commitment at my job, and my true love of Grace Church. It is my hope to help the “Elder Team” grow the ministry of making disciples of Jesus, and the outreach in the community.

Wow, there are so many verses that I cherish, but the one that I go to the most often is Proverbs 3: 5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”