MEET US
The church has a small staff of dedicated employees.
Staff
MIKI CHASTAIN
Pastor
Miki is originally from Waycross, Ga., and graduated from the University of Georgia with a master's degree in accounting. She also has a master's in divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary. She and her husband, Charlie, have three children: Isabel, Jasper, and Celia.
In 2009, Miki and her family moved into full-time roles as missionaries with TMS Global. They lived and served for 10 years in St. Petersburg, Russia; Tallinn, Estonia; and Torino, Italy. During that time Miki, worked with various congregations in the areas of prayer ministry, spiritual development, and discipleship. The Chastains also served with at-risk children and refugees coming into Europe primarily from Middle-Eastern and North-African nations, many of whom were fleeing violence and poverty or famine.
Before coming to Oconee Street UMC, Miki’s previous appointments were as associate pastor at Acworth UMC in Acworth, and as Pastor-in-Charge at New Prospect UMC in Buford and at Bogart UMC in Bogart.
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Tel: (706) 850-2025 | miki.chastain@ngumc.net
MATT TURBEVILLE
Music Director
Matt Turbeville is a native of Dublin and grew up participating in the music program of Dublin First United Methodist Church. He began playing piano and studying music at a young age and went on to study piano with Edward Eikner of Wesleyan College, James Stream of Florida State University, and Greg Pepetone and Richard Mercier of Georgia College and State University. Matt studied organ and church music with Cam Bishop at Mulberry Street United Methodist Church in Macon, GA. During this time, he was also the accompanist for his college choirs as well as the Mercer University Children’s Choir. Matt has served the United Methodist Church throughout his life in some musical capacity and is excited to be a part of Oconee UMC family.
Matt currently lives in Athens and works full-time as a social worker with Atlanta Mission – The Potter’s House, a residential treatment program for men struggling with substance abuse and addiction. Matt also enjoys cooking and arranging flowers.
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Tel: (706) 850-2025 | OconeeStreetUMC@gmail.com
FAITH ROCCHIO
Youth and Young Adult Coordinator
Most days Faith can be found barefoot in the garden, reading/painting, or baking something warm to share. She homeschools her four awesome kids and has the honor of caretaking for the family’s home and food forest. Her background is in working with children, youth, and young adults in forest schools, summer camps, and other alternative education spaces. That work has shaped how she thinks about community, and taught her to center on trust, curiosity, and care.
At Oconee Street UMC, she coordinate youth and young adult ministries with a focus on true belonging, wrestling with big ideas, and growing a faith that sustains through life’s questions and challenges. Her teaching style is interest-led and rooted in relationship. She strives to create an environment where questions can grow and young people feel secure to really dig in.
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Tel: (706) 850-2025 | OconeeStreetUMC@gmail.com
RACHEL CLARK
Administrator
Rachel Clark (she/they) is the Administrative Professional at Oconee Street UMC.
Rachel was born and raised in a small town in Kentucky, and moved to Atlanta for college. They stayed in Atlanta while completing a master's degree in Mental Health Counseling, and met their husband, Owen, in 2021. Owen and Rachel moved to Athens for Owen’s MSW program and began attending OSUMC in August of 2022. Rachel currently works in a private group practice in Athens as an Associate Professional Counselor, and hopes to achieve full licensure within the next year. Rachel is passionate about promoting positive social change through her counseling career and various forms of advocacy.
In their free time, Rachel enjoys crocheting, traveling, reading, thrifting, and exploring the many small shops in downtown Athens with bubble tea in hand. Rachel and Owen live on the Eastside of Athens with their dog, Taco, and two cats, Otto and Nugget.
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Tel: (706) 850-2025 | OconeeStreetUMC@gmail.com
MEGHANN HILL
Nursery Coordinator
Our nursery coordinator, Meghann Hill, is in charge of training and scheduling paid nursery workers and volunteers to care for these children. (All nursery workers and volunteers must complete mandatory training and pass a background check.)
Meghann has lived in Athens for 10 years and worked in the nursery at Oconee Street UMC for the past four years. Her daughter is the sixth generation to attend OSUMC, where her great-grandmother also kept the nursery.
Meghann enjoys reading, playing music, hiking (not in summer), traveling, shopping, eating and watching ice hockey (Go Bruins).