Meet Our Staff
Thomas Kleinert
Senior Minister
Thomas was born and raised in Germany, and he hasn't quite lost his accent since moving to the U.S. in 1994. Most days as a minister, he considers himself fortunate to get paid for doing what he loves. He is married to Nancy, and they have two adult children. He loves reading, walking under trees, kayaking, cooking and baking. If somebody told him he could only go to one restaurant for the rest of his days, he'd probably choose an Indian one.
Margie Quinn
Associate Minister
Margie grew up right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She received her B.A. in Women's Studies from the University of Georgia. Margie lived in Seattle after college, working for homelessness and housing advocacy non-profits. She then spent six months at Holden Village, a Lutheran community in central Washington.
Margie attended Duke Divinity School where she received her Master of Divinity with a concentration in Preaching and a certificate in Gender, Sexuality and Theology. Margie returned home to Nashville in 2019 to serve as Program Director at Bethany Hills Camp and Conference Center.
Margie has served at three churches before joining the Vine Street community: All Pilgrims Christian Church in Seattle, Wa, Bryson City United Methodist Church in Bryson City, NC and Westminster Presbyterian in Nashville, TN. Margie is ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She is the baby of six kids and the proud aunt of eight nieces and nephews. Outside of ministry, Margie loves to play ultimate frisbee, read fiction books and walk her dog, Jo March.
T.J. McLaughlin
Director of Chancel Choir
T.J. is currently in his twenty-second year as a music educator. After a 16 year tenure at Gallatin High School, T.J. was recently named choral director at Mt. Juliet High School, where he conducts four ensembles, teaches piano, and music directs the spring musical. His choirs consistently earn Superior rankings at MTVA and ACDA Choral Festivals. His ensembles have traveled to festivals throughout the United States, giving especially memorable performances in St. Louis, Atlanta, and at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. He has directed over 20 musicals. Some of his musical theater productions include: Les Miserables, The Sound of Music, The Little Mermaid, Bye Bye Birdie, and Mary Poppins. A sought-after clinician, he has had the privilege of directing the Middle Tennessee Middle School Honors Choir, Middle Tennessee Middle School Mass Choir, and Sumner County Honors Choir. He is currently the president-elect for the Middle Tennessee Vocal Association. He has served as choir director and children’s choir director at Vine Street Christian Church since 2006. In his spare time he enjoys home improvement projects, woodworking, golfing, and spending time with his wife, Katie, and their two children, Jack and Ellen.
Katie McLaughlin
Business Manager & Director of Music
A native of the Chicago area, Katie holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Illinois Wesleyan University. She has served on the music staff at Vine Street Christian Church since 2002. She started as an alto section leader in the choir and transitioned to the role of Director of Music in 2012. She continues to sing in the choir, co-directs the Children’s Choir with her husband, T.J., and plans the musical elements of our worship services with Thomas and Margie.
She added Business Manager to her duties in 2018. She also has seventeen years of business administration experience working for her family’s furniture company. Though this is very different from her musical skillset, she finds financial reports and spreadsheets very satisfying.
She currently spends most of her spare time shuttling her children, Jack and Ellen, to various activities. But, when she has a free moment to herself she enjoys drinking coffee, reading, traveling, and watching the White Sox.
Christy Brown
MINISTERIAL INTERN
Christy is grateful for the opportunity to join Vine Street as the ministerial intern this year! A second-career divinity student and long-time Disciple of Christ, Christy also currently serves as a student member of the board of the Disciples’ Divinity House and on the Tennessee Disciples’ Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation Committee.
She is excited to become a part of Vine Street, a church with a legacy of pursuing ecumenical ministries and not shying away from challenging conversations.
