Leadership
"If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."
[John 12:26]
Our ELDERS
Chuck Misenheimer
Chuck has served as an elder at Southern Hills since May, 2004. He also served as a deacon, both at Southern Hills and Buda/Kyle church of Christ. Chuck served 7 years in the Air Force and has been a State Farm agent for 30 years. He and his wife, Elizabeth, grew up in North Carolina and have been married for 40 years. They have two sons and two grandsons. They both graduated from the University of Texas, Elizabeth with a Masters degree in education and Chuck with a BBA in Insurance. Chuck has been on two mission trips to India, and one mission trip to Malawi.
Powell Pendergraft
Powell has been an elder at Southern Hills since November 2016. He previously served as a minister, prison minister and prison chaplain during 1983 to 1999 in Missouri, Kansas, and Texas. He earned the Master of Science in Biblical and Related Studies, Abilene Christian University, in 1994. Employed in computer software support since 1999, he resides in Buda TX, with wife Kim. They have two children. His work with Southern Hills emphasizes personal Bible study, education programs, and visitation.
Scott Ellyson
Scott was appointed to the eldership in November 2016. He had served as a deacon at Southern Hills since June 2014, having previously served as a deacon in Naperville, IL. After several years as a healthcare executive, Scott currently performs consulting services for growing healthcare companies around the country in the areas of strategy development and implementation, outsourced executive management, corporate development and process improvement. He and his wife Abby were married in 1997 and have three children. Scott’s heart for families and children has led him to active involvement with the Central Texas Children’s Home as well as Board membership of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Austin Area.
Joe Shea
Joe began serving as an elder at Southern Hills in January 2025; he previously served as a deacon since January 2020. He retired from Shell after 34 years as a mechanical engineer. He and his wife Cathy have been married since 1984 and have one married son and two granddaughters. They have attended Southern Hills since 2014 and live in Martindale. Joe is a graduate of Virginia Tech and Cathy is a graduate of Harding University. Joe’s primary area of responsibility is Outreach & Missions.
Campbell Key III
Campbell has been an elder at Southern Hills since January, 2025.
He and his wife, Michelle, met at the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1989 and were married in 1992. They have 3 children and 5 grandchildren.
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Campbell’s work took him and his family to Del Rio, Texas, where he served as deacon, and later as an elder at Central Church of Christ. He transferred to the Buda area and has been worshiping at Southern Hills since 2011. Campbell retired in 2023 after 30 years with the U.S. Customs Service.
Bryce Templeton
Bryce was appointed as an elder at Southern Hills in January 2025. Bryce has previously served as a deacon at two different congregations; Highland Village Church of Christ and Lake Travis Church of Christ. Bryce has been married to Susan since 1992 and they have one son. They are native Austinites and have lived in the Central Texas area all of their lives. Bryce graduated from Jack C. Hays High School in 1982 and then from Southwest Texas State University in 1987. He retired from the State of Texas Department of Education in 2019 after almost 30 years of service. Susan graduated from McCallum High School in Austin in 1981 and then from the University of Texas in 1987. Susan retired from gainful employment in 2016 after serving the State of Texas Department of Transportation for 28 years (2013) and NTT Data for 3 years after that. They have attended Southern Hills since 2021 and serve with the Sojourners Mission work that serves churches, children homes, and church/bible camps all over the United States.
Our DEACONS
Kevin Fraiser
Kevin has served as a deacon at Southern Hills since June 2014. He has been employed with Austin Energy since December 1983. He and his wife Donna were married in 1986, and moved to Kyle in 1994. They were blessed with twin daughters, on July 30,1989. Kevin is responsible for the Buildings and Grounds.
Alton Hill
Alton began serving as a deacon at Southern Hills in January 2020. He runs a digital marketing business with his wife Heather and they have 4 daughters. Alton regularly pursues anything adventurous, enjoys traveling with family, and encouraging others to seek God's path for their life. Alton's primary responsibilities are for Southern Hill's online presence.
Stuart Kirkwood
Stuart has served as a deacon at Southern Hills since June 2014. He is employed by a computer and technology company since 2006, and resides in Kyle. He and his wife Becky have been married since 1990 and have two teenaged children. Both Stuart and Becky are graduates from Texas State University (SWT). Stuart’s primary area of responsibility is in benevolence and fellowship.
Neil Montes
Neil began serving as a deacon at Southern Hills in June 2023. He works in healthcare clinical operations. Neil and his wife Alaina have been married since 2012 and have two sons. They live in Kyle. Neil is a graduate of New Mexico State University & Pacific University and Alaina is a graduate of Lubbock Christian University. Neil's areas of responsibility include youth & family, admin/finance & worship.
Chris Brown
Chris began serving as a deacon at Southern Hills in June 2023. He works in accounting, and he and his wife, Emily, have been married since 2007 and have three kids. They have lived in the Buda area since 2019. Chris's areas of responsibility include admin/finance and youth & family.
Frank Ramirez
Frank Ramirez
Our MINISTERS
Kirk Talley began his work in youth ministry while serving in the US Air Force in Georgia in 1998. At that time he led a great group of young people ranging in age from 5-college students. His passion for ministry and studying the scriptures led him to enter the Memphis School of Preaching in 2000 where he graduated in 2002 and went on to receive a BA in Biblical Studies from Amridge University in Montgomery, AL. Since that time Kirk has preached full-time in Mississippi, Tennessee and in Texas conducting mission work in the Philippines and in Ghana, West Africa.
Kirk has come full-circle to work with the youth here at Southern Hills since 2019 where he and his wife Jolyne have 4 children at home: Jacob, Ethan, Noah, and Alexa. Kirk and Jolyne both work away from their service at Southern Hills. Kirk in Property Management and Jolyne in Finance Management. They both have taught classes and while Kirk's primary responsibility is to guide the youth program, he is often found teaching classes to our in our West Wing.
Both Kirk and Jolyne, as well as all the parents of our youth at Southern Hills, have 1 goal in mind: Help develop a Christ-centered life in our youth so that they can further develop themselves in productive and contributing Christian men and woman. This is done through monthly spiritual gatherings, quarterly fun outings and a number of classes geared toward dealing with the most relevant topics to teens.