Clergy
priest-in-charge
The Rev. Sarah Hess
Rev. Sarah began serving as the priest-in-charge at Thankful Memorial in July 2025. She graduated from Sewanee with a bachelor’s degree in Religion and from Sewanee: The School of Theology with an M.Div. Before serving at Thankful, she served as the curate at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
She was happy to return home to the mountains of East Tennessee. When Rev. Sarah isn’t working, she enjoys going to the Tennessee Aquarium, watching Georgia football, hiking, and spending time with her church dog, Wini.
priest@thankfulmemorial.org
423-228-7274
Staff
VESTRY & Its Officers
A vestry is an Episcopal church’s lay leadership body elected by the parish at the annual parish meeting.
Senior Warden
Junior Warden
Treasurer
Clerk
Bob Wright
Roger Layne
Grady Dickinson
David Turner (Term Ending in 2027)
Bob Wright (Term Ending in 2027)
Joan Dorrill (Term Ending in 2028)
John Grant (Term Ending in 2028)
Karen Johnson (Term Ending in 2029)
Roger Layne (Term Ending in 2029)
Vestry members are happy to hear thoughts, questions, or suggestions Thankful parishioners may have regarding our parish life and ministries to then take these to the Vestry meeting for discussion, discernment, and decision-making.
The Vestry meets at 6:00 pm on the second Tuesday of each month.
Thankful Memorial Episcopal Church 