Staff @ St. John

minister of music

george b. butler, jr.

George Butler began piano lessons at an early age at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with Ilona Voorm, a protégé of Bela Bartok and head of piano pedagogy at the Conservatory. Butler took up the cello at age twelve and soon was a recognized soloist and session player in the Cincinnati area. At age 17 he was the only instrumentalist in the state of Ohio selected to perform with a national youth symphony under the direction of maestro Leopold Stokowski at Carnegie Hall.

As a young person, he grew up singing the great hymns of the Church as well as lively Gospel music. He was asked, at the age of nineteen, to form and direct a choir for young people at the church and then a year later was appointed director of the church’s adult choir as well as worship leader. From then on his interest in choral music blossomed. While in college he was able to perform in many of the masterworks of choral music with the Cincinnati Symphony as a member of the Conservatory’s Chorale and Chamber Singers.

As a cello major at the Cincinnati Conservatory Butler was principal cellist of the renowned Philharmonia Orchestra and was coached in chamber music by the grammy award winning LaSalle String Quartet. After graduation though, his focus became leading music in the church including festivals, national conventions and professional gatherings. After a 30-plus year career in church music, he returned to his classical music roots in 1999 here in Atlanta, becoming the cellist of the Kazanetti String Quartet. George has been a faculty member of The Lovett School since 2001, and Minister of Music at the Grace United Methodist Church from 2000-2006. He has continued to be active on the choral music scene around Atlanta as a performer and consultant.

children's ministry Director

tiffany stout

Tiffany is from French Lick, Indiana and graduated from Indiana University. She began serving as Children’s Ministry Director at St John in 2016. Her favorite days of the week are Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays — when she gets to talk about Jesus with children.

Tiffany and her husband Jason have 5 kids and have worshipped at St John for 20 years.