Amanda Dean is a pastor, wife, mother, and lover of God and people. Amanda describes her vocational calling as helping people live more fully into who God created them to be. She has a heart for serving God by serving others. Amanda is passionate about preaching, engaging in holy (and sometimes hard!) conversations, and connecting with people where they are and as they are.

Amanda earned her Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School and was ordained in 2012. Since then, her ministry journey has included a range of responsibilities—from campus ministry and nonprofit leadership to senior and associate pastoral roles in multi-generational congregations. She is a collaborative leader who values teamwork in fulfilling God’s mission in the world.

Family:

Amanda grew up in The United Methodist Church in her hometown of Kingsport, TN. Her parents, sister, and their spouses still reside in Northeast Tennessee. She currently lives in Chattanooga with her husband, Justin Steinmann. Justin works for the City of Chattanooga as the Director of Administration for Waste Water Services. His career in City Government has led him to hold positions in the cities of Chattanooga, Auburn, Alabama, Kingsport, Tennessee, and Holly Springs, North Carolina. Justin's siblings and their families live in Chattanooga. Justin and Amanda have three nieces, three nephews, and four godchildren.

Amanda and Justin married in May of 2014 and welcomed their son, Owen, into the world on November 29, 2016. At the age of 3 months, Owen was diagnosed with an extremely rare and aggressive brain tumor. Owen's diagnosis led them to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, where Owen received world-class treatment. Sadly, after 3 and a half months of treatment, Owen passed away at home in the arms of his parents. Amanda and Justin are passionate about honoring their son's brief and beautiful life and raising awareness about pediatric cancer research. They love talking about Owen and have found strength in sharing his story with the world. Their faith in Jesus and the promise of eternal life, along with the love and support offered by their family and the church, have given them peace in the midst of the storms of life.

In February of 2023, God began redeeming Amanda & Justin’s story by expanding their family through adoption. Their sons, Ray (9) and Ryder (8) have lived with them since November 2023 and have brought such joy and blessing to their lives. As a family they love to travel, explore National Parks, play board games, engage in epic Nerf Gun battles, and spend time outdoors. Justin, Amanda, Ray, & Ryder were made a "Forever Family" when their adoption was completed July 11, 2025.

When you come through the door you will be warmly greeted and assisted by Brenda!

Brenda Hobbs, Office Manager, is a multitalented individual who is very familiar to the Burks Family. Brenda is a member of both the Chancel Choir and the Burks Band, and was formerly the Hostess at Burks. She was the owner/operator of Brenda’s Elegant Catering for about 20 years, and having retired from that business has moved into the Burks office with her welcoming smile and helpful manner. Brenda is on the Board of the Scenic City Chapter of the Sweet Adelines, and you can see her perform with them around the area. Married to Philip Hobbs, he and Brenda share 4 adult children between them, and are also grandparents. They have an adorable little dog, Nugget, who keeps them company.

Come visit Brenda in the front office at Burks!

Contact Brenda:

church@burks.org

423.842.4219

If you have children ages 5 and under, you probably already know this incredible Lady. She is the Director of the Child Development Center (CDC) at Burks. She has been the Director since 2011 and before that was a Pre-K teacher for almost six years. Laura has an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education from Chattanooga State. She also has her Child Development Certificate from the Council for Professional Recognition Association, TN Early Program Administrator Credential from Tennessee State, and is certified from the Reggio Inspired Classrooms at UTK as well the National Association of the Education of Young Children. Laura has lived in Middle Valley her whole life and married her childhood sweetheart, Robert, at Burks! She and Robert have two sons, Robert and Nickolas, as well as several cat fur babies.

Contact Laura:

cdc@burks.org

423.842.1177

Roy was born in Puerto Rico and raised in the United States and Argentina. His passion for playing the piano increased immensely during his teenage years, and he has always enjoyed making new arrangments of hymns. Roy holds a Masters in piano Performance from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a double majorin Psychology and Music Education from Universidad Adventista del Plata, Argentina. He is also working on finishing his Masters in Clinical Mental Health COunseling from Liberty University.

Roy currently works as an Adjunt Professor of Piano at Convenant College, Accomplist for the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Chorus, and amungs all of that, our own beloved Pianist here a Burks United Methodist Church. Roy has also performed for 3ABN and It Is Written TV Ministries. Roy has recorded a total of 4 sacred music albums. His most recent album, "My Maker and My King" (2023), was recorded with his wife Claudia, who is a soprano. Above all, his desire is to love and glorify God through music and to be of help and service to others.

Bradley is a Chattanooga native and is a sophomore Piano Performance and Pedagogy Major, studying under Dr. Lynn Worcester Jones at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. His passion and love for piano has only grown in the past 7 years that he has been playing, and he can't imagine doing anything else! He hopes to one day perform with orchestras in recording movie anf film scores, as a way to combine some of his favorite things into a career. He has loved the experience of playing and performing with the Burks praise band and all the energy that comes with it. Aside from piano, Bradley is also a member of several vocal ensembles on the UTC campus: Chamber Singers, which is the advanced collegiate choir, and Singing Mocs, a collegiate jazz/contemporary a capella group. When he isn't involved in music, Bradley loves to spend time watching movies, reading, playing cards, and staying in the bed too long in the mornings.