Staff

Parish Administrator

Nellwyn Beamon is delighted to be serving Emmanuel as Parish Administrator. She and her family worshiped here from 1984-2003. In the intervening years, she worked as the Parish Secretary for a Norfolk church for 14 years; she was also the Coordinator for the Virginia Chapter of the Leadership Program for Musicians (a continuing education program for church musicians sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church and Episcopal Church USA), and she worked as part of local stage crews in various performance venues across Hampton Roads.

Nellwyn holds a degree in Church Music from Mars Hill College. You will find her on Sunday mornings at Ghent United Methodist Church in Norfolk where she is the Minister of Music. She is a member of the Hymn Society of the US and Canada, the Fellowship of United Methodists in Worship and Music Arts, and the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians.

She is happily married to Richard Jones and they have custody of grandson Jaimon, a student in the Norfolk Public Schools.

Director of Music

A graduate of East Carolina University School of Music, Bobby is our organist, choir master and musical director extraordinaire! His music selections for services always illuminate the season or the readings, and sometimes even entertain the congregation! He encourages musicians of all ages and skills to offer their talents to the glory of God. In his 40+ years at Emmanuel, in addition to regular Sunday music ministry, Bobby has directed and produced musicals such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Children of Eden, Cotton Patch Gospel, Seussical!, Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown, and Celebrate Life! He also convenes the Emmanuel Band to play for parish social events and the parish retreat.

Married to Trish, when away from the keyboards he enjoys working in his gardens and playing with his grandchildren.

Director of Christian Formation

Diana is currently the Co-Chair of the CE-Net for the Diocese of Southern Virginia. She graduated in May 2020 from Virginia Theological Seminary with her MA. Diana majored in Religious Studies at the University of Arizona. While at the University, she ran for and was elected as an alternate Deputy to General Convention 2009 and then Deputy in 2012 from the Diocese of Arizona, and later served on the Standing Committee for Small Congregations. After graduating, she took a job as Director of Christian Education for two yoked parishes in Douglas and Bisbee, Arizona.

In 2013 she took a full-time job as Youth and Family Minister for St John’s Episcopal Church in Sharon, PA. She spent three years there in a grant position, and when the position ended, she became part of a core team for a local Episcopal Church Plant named Resurrection before heading to Seminary.

Her other interests include sewing, swimming, and spending time with her husband Ben–whom she met at the University of Arizona–and her Foxhound. She is also an avid Sci-fi fan, strange board/card game collector, and weird historical facts.

Day School Director

Mrs. Harrison is very excited to be a part of the Educational Ministry Team at EEDS! A native of Norfolk, she is a graduate of Old Dominion University with a degree in Speech Communication. She came to EEDS after serving for 19 years as the Director and Pre-K four-year-old teacher at a local preschool. She is passionate that a child’s first school experience should be a positive one where the child feels loved, successful, engaged and that “school is a good place to be.”

Mrs. Harrison and her husband have two married daughters, three grandchildren, and 3 golden retriever grand-dogs. In her spare time, Mrs. Harrison enjoys gardening, traveling, cooking, and entertaining family and friends in her home.

Building Supervisor

Bookkeeper

Technology Coordinator