Our Leadership

Leaders

A combination of staff and congregational leaders attend to the operations and growth of All Pilgrims Christian Church.

All Pilgrims Christian Church is served by our pastor, the Rev. Greg Turk; our Minister of Music, Ryan Dye; and Office Manager, Jeremy Matheis. Administrative ministry is offered by the Coordinating Council, its officers and committees; spiritual care is provided by the Spiritual Care team.

Greg Turk, Pastor

The Rev. Gregory Turk was called to All Pilgrims in April 2010. Greg is a dynamic preacher and ardent community activist with a passion for urban ministry.

Greg Turk

His background includes founding a Spanish-language church in Fort Worth, Texas, working to reduce violent gang activity in south-central Los Angeles, and consulting with the Montana state prison system.
Greg accepted the call to All Pilgrims because he wanted to work within an urban congregation that is alive and constantly endeavoring to expand itself. Greg is a driver of our ministries to children, the neighborhood, and the homeless, as well as our ministries of spiritual care, prayer services, and interfaith dialogue. He was instrumental in creating our College of Spirituality.

But Greg doesn’t do it all himself—he challenges all in our congregation to stretch beyond ourselves in ministry.
Central to God’s vision, Greg believes, is love—an all-embracing love expressed in Greg’s watchword, “God loves you, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” God challenges us to reflect this love by weaving the tapestry of a just and peaceful world in which all live abundant, full lives in service to God and community with each other. In this spirit, Pastor Greg celebrates the dignity and worth of all people as he combines the quest for spiritual growth with his passion for social justice.

A native of the Pacific Northwest, Greg earned a Bachelor’s degree from Central Washington University and a Master of Divinity degree at Brite Divinity School of Texas Christian University. He has published articles, educational material, and a chapter in a book about faith and politics. His many extracurricular skills range from baseball (he plays shortstop) to soapmaking (he started a soap-making micro-enterprise in Los Angeles, gainfully employing gang members). Greg and his wife Lynn have two children, Hannah and Luke.

Some words Greg’s parishioners have used to describe him are high-energy, gifted preacher and teacher, passionate, socially conscious, peacemaker, and good sense of humor. In Pastor Greg’s view, “The church is about great things. Mediocrity is not part of the program. People want to be connected with deep meaning and participate. We all want to feel that when we’re here, we matter.”

Visit Greg’s Page for Additional Information

Ryan Dye, Minister of Music

 Ryan Dye has served as Minister of Music for All Pilgrims Christian Church in Seattle since 2000.  He holds degrees in Religion and Business Administration from Walla Walla University in Religion and Business Administration from Walla Walla University in addition to a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in organ performance from the University of Washington.

Ryan Dye

His organ studies have been with Lester Groom, Edward Hansen, Kraig Scott, Douglas Cleveland, J. Melvin Butler and Carole Terry.  Ryan has been active in church ministry since holding his first position as church organist at the age of 12.  He has also worked as a pastor and college chaplain before pursuing a career in music.

Selected to study in London in the summer of 2002, Ryan performed on the organs of Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral, St. Giles Cripplegate, St. Lawrence Jewry, House of Parliament Chapel and the Chapel Royal at the Tower of London.

Since attending the first American Guild of Organists’ Pipe Organ Encounters in Seattle at the age of 13, Ryan has also been active in the Seattle Chapter of the AGO, having served on the Executive Board for several years and as Chapter Dean in 2006-2007.  He recently chaired the 2009 Seattle AGO Region VIII Convention.  As part of the convention, he presented a lecture entitled, “Building a Dream: Designing and Funding an Organ Project”.

Ryan is the owner of North Pacific Organ and Sound, proudly representing Allen Organs in Western Washington and Alaska.  He makes his home in Auburn, Washington with his wife Heather, who is a professional singer, their son Palmer, daughter Magnolia, and their Italian Greyhound, Presto.

Jeremy Matheis, Office Manager

Jeremy Matheis has been the Office Manager at All Pilgrims since February, 2008 and is the main contact point for all administrative matters.

Jeremy Matheis

Jeremy is responsible for many aspects of church communications, database management, facility management, purchasing, and bookkeeping.  Jeremy is usually one of the first people to be seen or heard when visitors enter the church during the week.  With a cheery, personable style, he embodies All Pilgrims’ spirit of hospitality.
Outside of All Pilgrims, Jeremy is Conductor and Artistic Director for the Choir of the Sound in Shoreline as well as Director of Music/Choirmaster at Sand Point Community United Methodist Church in Seattle, where he directs the Chancel and Handbell Choirs.  He has also been Director of the Seattle SeaChordsmen, a Barbershop chorus in the Barbershop Harmony Society, since 2007.  In addition to an expanding conducting and singing career, he continues to sing weekly and is the Associate Director of the St. Mark’s Compline Choir and sings regularly with the Tudor Choir.  He is the planning committee chairman for the first ever Greater Seattle Choral Consortium Festival, slated for 2013.

Jeremy lives in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle with Jeffrey Ricco, his partner of six years (who also sings in many of his choirs), along with Spartacus, their lop-eared rabbit.  The two enjoy hiking and snowshoeing when their schedule allows.