James Kennerley Named PRUMC’s Next Director of Music
Monday, June 15, 2026

We are pleased to announce that the search committee created to conduct an international search to find a successor to our music director, Scott Atchison, who will retire this fall, has completed its work. 

Last week, the Staff-Parish Relations Committee received the unanimous recommendation by the search committee, met with their preferred candidate, and offered him the position. We are delighted to announce that James Kennerley has accepted our invitation to become the next Music Director of Peachtree Road UMC. 

James is an accomplished conductor, organist, composer, and tenor with a deep Christian faith and vast experience in organ performance, conducting choral groups, and leading sacred worship. James was born and raised in England, received his Master of Arts degree at Jesus College at Cambridge, and his Master of Music degree at the Juilliard School in New York. He served as an organ scholar at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and Jesus College in Cambridge and has been the music director at churches in New York, Massachusetts, and Maine. He is currently the Municipal Organist for Portland, Maine, and the director of music at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Falmouth, Maine.  

James is married to Emily, and they have two children, Noah (7) and Agatha(3). Please note the following video introduction from James here: