Our Pastor, Fr. Mike Ingram, is a native of Augusta,      Georgia.  He graduated from St. Mary on-the-Hill Elementary School and Aquinas Catholic High School.  He earned a B.S. Degree in Public Administration from Georgia Southern College in 1976. After a six year stint of local government administration in Bulloch, Jenkins, and Richmond Counties in Georgia, he filled in as a History/Economics teacher and coach at his alma mater, Aquinas, for eighteen months.  His next fourteen years were spent as the General Manager of Johannsen Sporting Goods in Augusta, which were very enjoyable and successful.  He was accepted by Bishop J. Kevin Boland to the Diocese of Savannah Seminarian Program in 1998 and was sent to Pope John XXIII National Seminary in Boston, MA for his education and formation.  Bishop Boland ordained Fr. Mike Ingram a priest for the Diocese of Savannah on June 29, 2002 at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Savannah.  Fr. Ingram’s assignments have been:

• Parochial Vicar, St. Anne Catholic Church, Columbus, GA  (2002-2005)
• Pastor, Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Macon, GA  (2005-2011)
• Pastor, St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, Grovetown, GA  (2011-Present)
• Assistant Vocations Director, Diocese of Savannah  (2005-2008)
• Vicar Forane, Macon Deanery  (2006-2011)
• Vocations Director, Diocese of Savannah  (2008-2011)
• Priest Personnel Committee, Diocese of Savannah  (2014-Present)

Deacon Kerry Diver is a lifelong resident of Augusta, born at St. Joseph Hospital in 1953.  He graduated from the Academy of Richmond County in 1971,  Augusta College in 1975, and MCG in 1980.
 
Deacon Diver married Verna Black in 1977 at the Church of the Most Holy Trinity. He says it is a true blessing from God that forever changed his life. They have one son, Steven, who is a deputy with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Department.  
 
He was ordained a Permanent Deacon after five years of formation through St. Leo University.  Deacon Kerry says that aside from his marriage and birth of his son, his ordination was the most meaningful event of his life. 

It is truly a blessing to serve the people of St. Teresa of Avila.
 

Deacon Bob Kepshire and his family are originally from Northwest Indiana, just outside of Chicago, and have lived in Evans since 1998.  He and his wife Cathy have two grown children; Erik who is married with three children and lives in Newnan, GA and Amanda who lives in Jacksonville, FL.  Deacon Bob was ordained for the Catholic Diocese of Savannah on May 31, 2008 by Bishop J. Kevin Boland.  He is responsible for coordinating and teaching Baptism Preparation Classes at St. Teresa's. 
Deacon Bob is a Benedictine Oblate of St. Meinrad Archabbey, a 3^rd degree member of the Knights of Columbus and is a contributor to the book, Answering the Call…How God Transformed the Lives of Nineteen Catholic Deacons. 

He is currently the Administrator & Chief Nursing Officer at University Hospital McDuffie in Thompson.  He has over 36 years of experience in in a variety of healthcare roles: firefighter/paramedic, ER nurse, trauma clinical nurse specialist, flight nurse, nurse manager, nursing director, nursing executive and hospital administrator.  Deacon Bob has earned the following degrees from Purdue University: Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture, Associate in Applied Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing.  He also earned a certificate in Healthcare Ethics Leadership from the Emory University Center for Ethics/Healthcare Ethics Consortium of Georgia and is nationally certified in executive nursing practice.  Deacon Bob also earned a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (Theology) from St. Leo University as part of the requirements for diaconal ordination.  Deacon Bob has a special interest in monastic spirituality, liturgy, and Catholic bioethics.  In his spare time he enjoys reading, cooking, fishing, hiking in the mountains, and cheering on his favorite sport teams: the Georgia Southern Eagles, the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago Blackhawks. 
 

Deacon Joe Soparas has been a member of Saint Teresa of Avila Parish since 1976.  He and his wife Mary have two grown children; Becky who is married with two children and Christie who is also married with two children.  Deacon Joe is a Physician Assistant and is Licensed and Certified for the Charlie Norwood Veterans Administration Medical Center in Augusta, Georgia.  He holds a
Masters of Art Degree in Pastoral Studies from Saint Leo University, Florida and graduated in December 2007.  Deacon Joe was ordained a Permanent Deacon in the Catholic Diocese of Savannah in May, 2008 and was assigned to Saint Teresa of Avila Parish.  Deacon Joe says that since his ordination he has done his best to provide parishioners with the tenets of the Diaconate Ministry which is service in three areas: the Word, Liturgy and Charity and that it has been a pleasure to assist the priests and parishioners of our parish.