Staff
Meet Our Staff
The people who make East End happen. Our staff bring their gifts, experience, and care to the work of building community, creating meaningful worship, and living out East End’s mission together.
Rev. Brandon Baxter, our lead pastor, was appointed to East End in October 2022. He is an ordained elder in the UMC and has served in a variety of ministry roles and contexts in UMC’s throughout the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference including youth ministry, music ministry, and pastoral ministry. Brandon is a 2001 graduate of Millsaps College in Jackson, MS, and received his MDiv from Vanderbilt Divinity School in 2017. He is a lifelong United Methodist, having been raised at his home church of Calvary UMC in the Green Hills area of Nashville. Brandon was a music major in college with a focus in voice and originally planned to be a music teacher before God led him in new directions. Music continues to be a passion in Brandon’s life. Other interests include reading, walking and hiking, functional fitness training, and spending time in deep conversations with friends and loved ones. Brandon is married to his spouse, Dr. Carol Baxter, who is a dentist in Nolensville, TN. They have two teenage daughters, Emerson and Miriam. As an avid music fan and collector, Brandon owns over 1200 CDs and over 800 vinyl records!
Pastor Joanna serves as Pastor with Children and Their Families and has been on staff with EEUMC since 2021. Her role includes guiding the spiritual formation of children from birth-5th grade, supporting their caregivers on the faith journey and pastoral care for all ages and stages. She is an ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church and graduate of Memphis Theological Seminary with a M.A. in Religion. She is also an alumni of the Center for Youth Ministry Training (Ministry Leadership Center). Joanna is a writer and creator with experience developing and publishing resources to support the faith formation of young people and families. She's always working on a project behind the scenes! Joanna is passionate about bringing all generations together, creating safe and sacred spaces for all people and developing experiences and resources so that we might all connect with God in deep and meaningful ways. She is a wife to Chris and a mama to Micah. Joanna loves dogs and ice cream, being with her family, hiking and working out with S.L.A.M. Nashville at Shelby Bottoms Park. She believes that East End is a truly special and unique church family and she loves serving and being in ministry alongside this community. She enjoys connecting so be sure to reach out to her if you would like to grab a cup of coffee.
David Bone is Director of Music at East End United Methodist Church in Nashville. David directs the Sanctuary Choir, plans worship alongside the church staff, and coordinates the other musical elements of the church’s life. David began attending East End in 2018 and moved into this role in 2026. He brings a lifetime of experience in worship leadership, including 30 years (1991 to 2021) as Executive Director of The Fellowship of Worship Artists, and he holds master’s degrees in sacred music and choral conducting from Southern Methodist University and Perkins School of Theology. He is co-author of The United Methodist Music and Worship Planner and Prepare! A Weekly Worship Planbook, and he has served on the worship planning teams for three General Conferences of The UMC. Music is an important part of David’s life and faith, whether at East End or in his other work as chaplain at TriStar Southern Hills Medical Center. David loves helping congregations find their voice in song, as well as traveling with his husband, Arlen, and seeing as many Broadway musicals as possible.
Derrick brings his musical talents to enrich our worship experience. Having played piano since 1998, he has played and sung for churches, events, and choral groups throughout Chicagoland, central Illinois, and Music City. Derrick began with East End when we resumed in-person gatherings in 2021. By selecting vibrant new arrangements of classic hymn tunes, he uses the piano to create a spiritually enriching atmosphere. Alongside his passion for music, Derrick holds degrees in physics and teaching, with professional experience in planetariums and IT.
Burton has been part of the East End UMC community since 2016, serving in a variety of roles, from the nursery to running tech during worship services. A graduate of Belmont University, she now works in the church office, where she enjoys using her love of design and communications to help tell the church’s story and connect with the wider community. Outside of church, Burton loves going to concerts and has attended more than 25 shows in the past few years. She has even had the chance to see her favorite artist, Taylor Swift, twice, and her favorite band The Driver Era, twice. She also loves sharing stories about her beloved pets: her two cats, Phoebe and Tilly, and her dog, Keio whenever she has the chance.
Want To Learn More?
There’s more to discover at East End. Explore the people who help lead our church, find opportunities to serve on staff or in leadership, or reach out with a question.
