Shallowford Welcomes Lucas Gray to Staff

Shallowford is thrilled to announce Lucas David Gray as the new Director of Music Ministries. Lucas’ first day in worship will be Sunday, May 19, 2024. Please join us in welcoming Lucas to Shallowford with a congregational lunch following the 11:00 a.m. service.

When Shallowford’s Search Committee began their work 15 months ago, they identified five core values that we believe Lucas embodies:

  1.  Inclusive theology in line with Shallowford’s beliefs
  2.  Youth choir experience and a passion for connecting with teenagers
  3.  Experience and skill in making music with adult choirs and instrumentalists
  4.  A collaborative leadership style
  5.  A commitment to building community through making music together

Lucas will bring incredible energy, skill, and passion to his work with Shallowford’s choirs and musicians. The search committee and I are thrilled to welcome him to the Shallowford team!

Rev. Anna George Traynham, Senior Pastor & Head of Staff

About Lucas

Lucas Gray, a Georgia native, is in his final semester as a choral conducting graduate student at Georgia State University. Alongside his studies, he serves as Assistant Conductor for three of the school’s choral ensembles: Choral Union, Repertory Singers, and Tenor/Bass Choir.

Prior to beginning his master’s program, Lucas was the Director of Choirs at Allegro Charter School of Music in Charleston, South Carolina. While at Allegro, he led a choral program of four ensembles and 100 singers spanning grades six through twelve. Currently, Lucas teaches Pre-K general music at Drew Charter School in Atlanta, Georgia.

In addition to his work in conducting and education, Lucas is an avid singer and frequently performs with choirs across the globe. In July of 2022, he had the privilege of being invited to perform at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland. In 2023, he performed at the World Symposium on Choral Music in Istanbul, Turkey. Most recently, Lucas had the opportunity to collaborate with the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra in performances of Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas.

Lucas currently holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education (summa cum laude) from Kennesaw State University. Upon graduation, he is excited to step into the role of Director of Music Ministries at Shallowford Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.

Q&A

Composer David Hurd once said, “The church made [him] fall in love with music, and music made [him] fall in love with God.” When I first heard this, I felt like someone had finally put to words the way I had felt for years of my life.

When I was little, I remember sitting with my family in a long pew lined with red carpet every Sunday morning. My mom would hand me a pen out of her purse and I would spend most of the service doodling on the back of the bulletin. As long as I was quiet and content, everyone was happy. If there was a moment in the service where I stopped drawing to be present, it was when music began. I was eager to flip through the hymnal and sing along (as best I could).

I say all this to highlight the power that music has not only in the ministry of the church, but in connecting us directly with God. As a child, it wasn’t the sermon that allowed me to be present in worship. It wasn’t the passing of the peace. It wasn’t the prayers. It was the music. Music was my prayer. Music was the Holy Spirit’s bridge into my heart…and the church, through music, has kept that bridge open and structurally sound.

When I look at the Shallowford congregation, I see a vibrant community of young people. In those faces, I see myself. If it wasn’t for the Holy Spirit speaking to me through music, who knows if I would have ever looked up from that bulletin on a Sunday morning and been present in worship. Knowing that I have the opportunity to guide and nurture the spiritual wellness of the Shallowford community through the gift of music excites me more than anything; not for music’s sake, but for the sake of the voices that will make the music and the ears that will listen – both young and old.

Two things that bring me the most joy in life are making music and building genuine connections with people. From the moment I found out about the large role children and youth play in Shallowford’s vibrant music program, I knew it was a ministry I had to be a part of. There is no better way to grow anything without the involvement of young people. Without a future generation of inspired and empowered musicians, who will fill our choir lofts? Without young disciples to hand over the torch, how will the gospel of Christ be carried forward? I firmly believe that young people are important and should not be shortchanged. Shallowford holds that same belief, that much is clear.

I have worked with musicians from ages ranging two to age ninety-two. I have seen the power the voice plays in worship, regardless of age or musical “quality.” It doesn’t matter whether it’s young children squeaking out This Little Light of Mine or an adult choir singing a Bach motet technically perfect. They each may sound quite different to the ear, but they’re the same and deserve to be valued equally. They’re both the voices of God’s creation from different backgrounds, beliefs, lifestyles, races, genders, political views, you name it…all coming together to worship their creator in a unified sound.

I am humbled for the opportunity to work with the wide span of people in the music program here at Shallowford and I am honored to begin working alongside a congregation that values and invests in the talents of God’s people…at all ages and stages.

Comments from the Search Committee

Through our search process, we have grown into a new season, a new youth choir, and a new congregation. We’re standing in a different space now, and I’m excited that Lucas has the energy and the emotional intelligence to meet us where we are and grow with us! His conducting is engaging and welcoming, and his enthusiasm for our music program matches our own. I can’t wait to welcome him to Shallowford.

Laura Pfister, Search Committee Member

He’s bright, he’s enthusiastic, he’s compassionate, he’s spiritually grounded and he’s incredibly musical. What’s not to love?

Lynn Rogers, Search Committee Member

Lucas is a very energetic, down-to-earth, and gifted music director. He is very talented in the way that he can control the room through his words and his smile.

Owen DeWitt, 12th Grade

I’m so excited about the energy and positivity Lucas will bring to our choirs, especially our youth. He has a bright positivity and an exuberance that I think will mark a bright future for music at Shallowford. It was so nice getting to know him during the interview process, and I think his impact will be very noticeable and wonderful.

David Fairchild, Search Committee Member

Lucas is both personally engaging and technically competent in leading the choir.  He has a good knowledge of choral music and abounds with ideas on how to use that knowledge to Shallowford’s advantage.  His enthusiasm brings the group cheerfully along with him.

Jim Crawford, Search Committee Member