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The Reverend Dr. G. Oliver Wagner, "Ollie"
Pastor, Head of Staff
 
Beginning as a college chaplain, our pastor, the Rev. Dr. G. Oliver Wagner ("Ollie"), has also served as a staff pastor of a large church and as the solo pastor of a smaller congregation, the Montoursville Presbyterian Church in his native Pennsylvania.  Ollie has a bachelor's degree in economics from Davidson College.  He earned a master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary and a doctorate in ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary.  He has studied at the Glasgow University Divinity School in Scotland where he also served as as assistant minister at the Old Parish Church in East Kilbride.
 
Coming to Alpharetta in early 2008, Ollie now serves on the Drake House's board of directors and coaches in the Alpharetta Recreation and Parks program.  He is an active member of the Ed Isaacson YMCA and the Alpharetta Clergy Association.  He also serves on the Coordinating Council for the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta.    
 
Ollie and his wife, Heather Hasty Wagner, have three children.  He enjoys reading, writing, hiking, playing guitar and softball, sailboating, cross-country skiing, trout fishing, and following the Atlanta Braves.

 

 

The Reverend Jamie Gail Butcher
Pastor for Congregational Care
 
The Reverend Jamie Gail Butcher recently joined the APC staff.  As pastor for congregational care, she co-leads Sunday worship, coordinates pastoral care, provides staff support to various church committees and participates in our many ecumenical and mission programs.
 
Jamie, a Bristol, TN native, has been a chaplain at the Wesley Woods Geriatric Center in Decatur.  A graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, she also holds a degree in anthropology from the University of Virginia and a master's degree in Appalachian studies from Appalachian State University.
 
In preparation for seminary, she spent a year in Northern Ireland as an intern minister at Groomsport Presbyterian Church where she led worship and provided congregational care.
 
Jamie and new husband, Ryan Bonfiglio, met when they were both seminary students at Princeton.  He is a Philadelphia, PA, native and a doctoral student in Hebrew Bible at Emory University.

 

 

 

At the age of 50,  Mrs. Skillern's desire “to tell of God’s unconditional love,” led her to attend Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia from 1981-1984.  After fulfilling the requirements of all five ordination examinations, Helen entered the Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Georgia Baptist Medical Center in Atlanta from 1984-1986. She then served at Morningside Presbyterian from 1989 to 1993 as parish associate.

Helen was called to Alpharetta Presbyterian Church as interim pastor in May 1994. She remained as parish associate for children’s education when the Rev. Walter Jones was called to serve as the pastor. Helen was then installed as associate pastor In March 1996 until her first retirement in January 1999.

Serving in different roles, Helen has returned periodically to APC.  Most recently, from November 2008 until August 2010 when she retired a second time. 

On June 5, 2011 Helen was awarded the title of pastor emerita in appreciation for her long and outstanding service to Alpharetta Presbyterian Church.

Helen and her husband, Joel Ralph Skillern, were married in 1953 and have three children and four grandchildren.