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Meet our Clergy and Staff
Rev. Dr. C. Gray Norsworthy
Interim Pastor
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Get to know Gray
Gray was born in Billings, Montana and moved to Atlanta when he was eight weeks old. Gray actually grew up a few miles from Northwest Presbyterian Church, living in houses on Forrest Lake Drive and Loridans Drive. He graduated from The Westminster Schools. After belonging to a Baptist church growing up, Gray began attending a Presbyterian church while doing his undergraduate work at the University of Virginia. He graduated from UVA with a B.A. in English in 1979 and returned to Atlanta to work in marketing at Southern Bell.
When he was called to the ministry, he entered Columbia Theological Seminary, where he completed a Master of Divinity with distinction in 1985. He was ordained a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA) on July 21, 1985. Gray later earned his Doctor of
Ministry degree through McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois in June of 1997.
Gray retired in January of 2022 after serving almost twelve years as the Senior Pastor of Johns Creek Presbyterian Church in Johns Creek, Georgia. Prior to that, he served as the Senior Chaplain of the ecumenical Big Canoe Chapel (2008-2010), Senior Pastor of Shallowford Presbyterian Church in Atlanta (1994-2008), Senior Pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Staunton, Virginia (1989-1994), and Associate Pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Snellville, Georgia (1985-1989).
Gray is a published writer and poet. His most recent work appears in the anthology, Special Visions: Poems by and for Pastoral Caregivers. He has also written articles in the preaching commentary, Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 3, 2010. Gray has taught classes in church history and Presbyterian polity in the Commissioned Lay Pastor program at Columbia Theological Seminary. His work with the presbytery has included chairing the Division on Church Growth, the Policies and Procedures Committee of the New Church Development Commission and serving on
Presbytery’s Council.
Gray and his wife Pam have three children: son Mason, age 33, and daughters Cameron, 30, and Maggie, 28. Their dogs Gladney and CJ round out the Norsworthy family. When Gray has free time, he enjoys playing the guitar, recording music, reading, hiking, rooting for the Atlanta sports teams (Braves, Hawks, Falcons) and the Virginia Cavaliers.
All about AJ
AJ Shortley earned a Master of Divinity (M.Div) and a Master of Theology (Th.M) from Columbia Theological Seminary in 2017 and 2018. He has been involved in ministry since 2008 when he began volunteering with a local college and young singles ministry.
AJ has served several churches in the Atlanta area in addition to providing pastoral care to families as a chaplain for Northside Hospital, Grady Memorial Hospital, and Capstone LLC. AJ is an avid reader, and his favorite subjects are history, science, theology, and biblical studies.
He is passionate about seeing and sharing the relevance and beauty of scripture, and especially scripture's amazing God. AJ and his wife Lindsey were married in May of 2016. They love spending time with their Australian Shepherds and mountain biking.
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AJ Shortley
Director of Youth, Young Adult & Community Outreach
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Scott Mize
Director of Operations​
Say hello to Scott
Scott began working at Northwest in October 2007, serving as the administrative assistant. In September 2010, he was promoted to his current position. He received a BA from Clayton State University and Masters of Music from The North Carolina School of the Arts, where he also completed a fellowship with the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute.
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Connect with Clinton
Clinton’s experience in Music Ministry spans 15 years, most recently serving as the Chancel Choir Director at Good Samaritan United Methodist in Minneapolis, MN. Other positions include Director of Music at Unity of Farmington Hills (MI), Associate Director of Music at Plymouth First United Methodist (MI), Praise and Worship Team at Bethany Methodist (TX), Organist at Hyde Park United Methodist (TX), and Director of Music and Organist at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church (TX).
Also a free-lance opera/orchestra conductor, in the 2022-23 season Clinton returned to Dayton Opera to conduct Charlie Parker’'s Yardbird with the Dayton Philharmonic and to Arizona Opera to lead an orchestral workshop of the newly commissioned Frankenstein. In December, he led members of the Atlanta Symphony at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church for their annual presentation of Messiah. On the orchestral stage, made his guest conducting debut with the Georgia Philharmonic, leading two subscription concerts.
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For a collective nine seasons, he was the music director of Orchestra Seattle and the Seattle Chamber Singers (WA) and the St. Cloud Symphony (MN). For four seasons, he was the Assistant Conductor/Chorus Master at Minnesota Opera preparing over 20 productions in five languages. He spent nine summers on the music staff at the Santa Fe Opera and has conducted productions at the opera companies of Atlanta, Arizona, Minnesota, Dayton, Orlando, Florentine, Tacoma, Middlebury, Las Vegas, Kentucky, Birmingham, Fargo-Moorhead, Pacific Northwest Opera and served as guest faculty at Juilliard, The University of Michigan, Western Ontario University, Baldwin Wallace University, and the National University of Taiwan. Clinton holds degrees from the University of Texas and the University of Michigan.
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Clinton Smith
Director of Music & Organist