Officers
Teaching Elder
Rev. Ross Hodges is our pastor. Ross is married to Joanna, and they met while they were both students at Westminster Seminary California where Ross received an M.Div and Joanna received a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies. Ross and Joanna married prior to their final year in seminary, and after graduation in 2013, moved to Charleston, South Carolina where Ross assisted in the planting of Christ Church Presbyterian. While in South Carolina, the Lord grew the Hodges family with the addition of their four incredible children: Elias, Charlotte, Isaac, and Abel. After six wonderful years in Charleston, the Hodges moved to Montgomery, Alabama in 2019 for Ross to serve as an associate pastor at Eastwood Presbyterian before receiving the call to become the pastor of Grace Covenant in August 2025.
Ruling Elders
Bob Blair
Bob Blair has been a part of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church (GCPC) from its beginning as a church plant from Decatur Presbyterian Church. He has served as one of its elders since it made the transition from a church plant to a self-governing congregation and the first PCA congregation in Limestone County. Prior to moving to Athens in 2011, he served on the session of Pasadena Evangelical Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Pasadena, Maryland. Bob currently works as a Systems Engineer in Huntsville. He enjoys studying the order and beauty of creation. He and his wife Erika are blessed to have a son and daughter (and their spouses) and seven grandchildren.
Harold Hamilton
Harold Hamilton has served as an elder at Grace Covenant since February of 2022. Prior to moving to Athens in 2017, he served as deacon at Christ Presbyterian Church in Hampton Cove. He retired from the Boeing Company in 2020 after 32 years. After failing at retirement, he now works in commercial sales for a Cybersecurity firm. He and his wife Beth were married in 1988 and have 3 grown sons, 2 daughters-in-law, and 2 spoiled dogs. They spend their spare time keeping up with their kids who are scattered between Alabama, Tennessee and California, keeping up with their farm, and of course, spoiling the dogs.
Ernie Locklair
Ernie Locklair has served as an elder at Grace Covenant since it made the transition from a church plant to a self-governing congregation. Prior to moving to Athens in 2018, he served on the sessions of two PCA churches in his home state of South Carolina. Before retiring, he worked as a journalist and as a staff member of colleges and universities in North and South Carolina. He and his wife Margaret have a son and four grandchildren. Margaret and Ernie enjoy experiencing God's creation from the mountains to the sea, especially from a boat.
Deacons
Phil Lewis
Phil Lewis has served as a deacon and treasurer at Grace Covenant since 2022 and has been an active member in the PCA since 2014. He and his wife Cindy met in high school and began dating while attending Auburn University. In 1985, following graduation, they were married and moved to the Huntsville area where their two sons were born and raised. Phil is an Electrical Engineer working for one of the defense companies in Huntsville. On special occasions, he enjoys playing the violin while accompanying the piano during worship services.
Shaun Webb
Shaun Webb has served as a deacon and led youth group with Grace Covenant since it made the transition from a church plant to particular church in October of 2021. Prior to 2021, Shaun and his family began meeting with the core group of families that planted Grace Covenant back in the fall of 2012. He is the Vice President and owner of Pepper, Johnstone & Company (an independent insurance agency). What he is most proud of is the fact that he out kicked his coverage when he married his gorgeous wife, Kate. Together they have two boys and one girl. Shaun enjoys hunting, gardening, and serving his church.
Staff
Dixie Harrison - Pianist
Dixie Harrison is most grateful to have served as pianist at Grace Covenant for the last seven years. She has been employed as a voice instructor at Ars Nova School of the Arts in Huntsville for over twenty years. She is currently teaching private voice in Huntsville and also in Athens. Educational credits include a Bachelor’s degree in music education with an emphasis in voice from Samford University, and a Master’s degree in music education with an emphasis in voice from the University of North Alabama. She has served as music director in two churches in Athens, and one in San Diego. She also conducted a women’s ensemble and a boys choir at Asbury Methodist Church in Huntsville a few years ago.
Amy Rikard - Administrative Assistant
Amy Rikard has been the Administrative Assistant at GCPC for the last two years. She is originally from small town Brighton, IL, but has called Oxford, MS home since 2012. In 2022 she graduated from Mississippi State University with her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design. Two weeks later, she married her high school sweetheart, Kyle, and the two found themselves moving to Athens, AL in 2023. Amy enjoys leading singing on Sunday mornings, assisting in the nursery, and is the face behind GCPC's weekly emails, bulletins, social media, and website.