Meet Trenton Teegarden

Hometown
Nashville, Tennessee

Age
24

Home Church & Denomination
Brentwood United Methodist Church, Brentwood, TN

Degrees
B.S. in Church Music

Garrett-Evangelical Degree Program/Year
M.A. in Music Ministry, 2011

Career Plans
I plan to find an associate pastor position with a focus in music, worship, and the arts within The United Methodist Church. I am open to going back to my home conference (the Tennessee Conference) or to another conference. I really want to go where I am needed the most, perhaps where I could have the opportunity to work with children’s choirs. Teaching children how to sing, read music, and develop musical skills is both rewarding and a blessing for me. I would also enjoy working with adults and young adults; directing choirs and helping them become instruments of God’s grace in their congregations.

Personal Information
From an early age I was encouraged by my family to use my musical abilities for ministry. I grew up south of Nashville, Tennessee in Brentwood where my family maintains membership at Brentwood United Methodist Church. I attended Martin Methodist College where I received a Bachelors of Church Music and then moved to Evanston in the fall of 2009 to begin working on my Masters in Music Ministry at Garrett-Evangelical. I am currently the director of music at Granville Avenue United Methodist Church. I enjoy playing all types of musical instruments including the piano, drums, and guitar. In addition to these, I have truly developed a passion for African percussion. In my spare time, I enjoy playing soccer with friends, spending time with my dog Sherman, performing at coffee shops, and getting involved with community musical groups.

Attraction to Garrett-Evangelical
I was initially attracted to Garrett-Evangelical because of its authentic community; it felt like home. The financial resources were attractive as were the student to faculty ratio, its location, and the abundance of resources due to Garrett-Evangelical’s relationship with Northwestern University.

Calling
My calling is to use the musical gifts that God has given me to help people experience God’s love. I believe I am called to help others find their gifts (musical and other). And above all, to help people find positive ways to use them.