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Leadership
"If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him." [John 12:26]

Our Elders

Chuck Misenheimer

Chuck has served as an elder at Southern Hills since May, 2004. He also served as a deacon, both at Southern Hills and Buda/Kyle church of Christ. Chuck served 7 years in the Air Force and has been a State Farm agent for 30 years. He and his wife, Elizabeth, grew up in North Carolina and have been married for 40 years. They have two sons and two grandsons. They both graduated from the University of Texas, Elizabeth with a Masters degree in education and Chuck with a BBA in Insurance. Chuck has been on two mission trips to India, and one mission trip to Malawi.

Powell Pendergraft

Powell has been an elder at Southern Hills since November 2016. He previously served as a minister, prison minister and prison chaplain during 1983 to 1999 in Missouri, Kansas, and Texas. He earned the Master of Science in Biblical and Related Studies, Abilene Christian University, in 1994. Employed in computer software support since 1999, he resides in Buda TX, with wife Kim. They have two children. His work with Southern Hills emphasizes personal Bible study, education programs, and visitation.

Roland Chankin

Roland has been an Elder at Southern Hills since 2004. He and his wife Betty are very interested in missions. Their son Archie and his family were on the mission field for several years.

Scott Ellyson

Scott was appointed to the eldership in November 2016. He had served as a deacon at Southern Hills since June 2014, having previously served as a deacon in Naperville, IL. After several years as a healthcare executive, Scott currently performs consulting services for growing healthcare companies around the country in the areas of strategy development and implementation, outsourced executive management, corporate development and process improvement. He and his wife Abby were married in 1997 and have three children. Scott’s heart for families and children has led him to active involvement with the Central Texas Children’s Home as well as Board membership of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Austin Area.

Our Deacons

Kevin Fraiser

Kevin has served as a deacon at Southern Hills since June 2014. He has been employed with Austin Energy since December 1983. He and his wife Donna were married in 1986, and moved to Kyle in 1994. They were blessed with twin daughters, on July 30,1989. Kevin is responsible for the Buildings and Grounds.

Alton Hill

Alton began serving as a deacon at Southern Hills in January 2020. He runs a digital marketing business with his wife Heather and they have 4 daughters. Alton regularly pursues anything adventurous, enjoys traveling with family, and encouraging others to seek God’s path for their life. Alton’s primary responsibilities are for Southern Hill’s online presence.

Stuart Kirkwood

Stuart has served as a deacon at Southern Hills since June 2014. He is employed by a computer and technology company since 2006, and resides in Kyle. He and his wife Becky have been married since 1990 and have two teenaged children. Both Stuart and Becky are graduates from Texas State University (SWT). Stuart’s primary area of responsibility is in benevolence and fellowship.

Joe Shea

Joe began serving as a deacon at Southern Hills in January 2020. He retired from Shell after 34 years as a mechanical engineer. He and his wife Cathy have been married since 1984 and have one married son and two granddaughters. They have attended Southern Hills since 2014 and live in Martindale. Joe is a graduate of Virginia Tech and Cathy is a graduate of Harding University. Joe’s primary area of responsibility is Outreach & Missions.

Neil Montes

Neil began serving as a deacon at Southern Hills in June 2023. He works in healthcare clinical operations. Neil and his wife Alaina have been married since 2012 and have two sons. They live in Kyle. Neil is a graduate of New Mexico State University & Pacific University and Alaina is a graduate of Lubbock Christian University. Neil’s areas of responsibility include youth & family, admin/finance & worship.

Chris Brown

Bio coming soon!

Frank Ramirez

Bio coming soon!

Our Ministers

Pulpit Minister

Jim Hays

Jim received God’s call to preach in 2002, serving as the associate minister and later the preaching minister for the North Oaks Church of Christ in Santa Clarita, CA. He and his wife Deborah came to Texas in May 2007 to serve the Goldthwaite Church of Christ. He has been the preaching minister at Southern Hills since March of 2011.

Jim did his undergraduate work at Abilene Christian University and Austin Graduate School of Theology. He received his M.A. in Theology from Austin Grad in December 2016. Deborah is an administrative assistant for Centene Corporation, a St. Louis based firm providing healthcare solutions to under-served populations including foster children, Medicaid patients, and those requiring specialized therapies. Jim and Deborah have three grown children, daughter Michelle and sons Anthony and James. They are proud grandparents of Elliott and Fern. 

Jim’s passions include high school football, Texas barbecue, and the proclamation of God’s unfolding plan to redeem creation. His sermons focus on the grace and love of God, the saving work of Christ at the cross, and the importance of living out God’s purposes in the community of faith.

Youth and Families Minister

Kirk Talley

Kirk Talley began his work in youth ministry while serving in the US Air Force in Georgia in 1998. At that time he led a great group of young people ranging in age from 5-college students. His passion for ministry and studying the scriptures led him to enter the Memphis School of Preaching in 2000 where he graduated in 2002 and went on to receive a BA in Biblical Studies from Amridge University in Montgomery, AL. Since that time Kirk has preached full-time in Mississippi, Tennessee and in Texas conducting mission work in the Philippines and in Ghana, West Africa. 

Kirk has come full-circle to work with the youth here at Southern Hills since 2019 where he and his wife Jolyne have 4 children at home: Jacob, Ethan, Noah, and Alexa. Kirk and Jolyne both work away from their service at Southern Hills. Kirk in Property Management and Jolyne in Finance Management. They both have taught classes and while Kirk’s primary responsibility is to guide the youth program, he is often found teaching classes to our in our West Wing. 

Both Kirk and Jolyne, as well as all the parents of our youth at Southern Hills, have 1 goal in mind: Help develop a Christ-centered life in our youth so that they can further develop themselves in productive and contributing Christian men and woman. This is done through monthly spiritual gatherings, quarterly fun outings and a number of classes geared toward dealing with the most relevant topics to teens.

Want to know more?

We welcome you to reach out and connect with us. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, prayer requests, or if you would like to know more about our community.
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CHILDREN & YOUTH
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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

[Philippians 4:6]

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