Organist

Rev. Bob Kitner

Reverend Marcus Dodson

Reverend Marcus Dodson serves full-time as the chaplain/discharge planner at Transylvania Regional Hospital which includes serving as chaplain to CareParnters Hospice (32 years).

He serves as quarter-time pastor of Lake Toxaway United Methodist Church. In 2025 he was reappointed for his 31st year at Lake Toxaway UMC and enjoys the opportunity to be bi-vocational. Marcus began to experience his call to Christian ministry as a teenager. He continues to enjoy pursing his growth as a minister and Christian through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, practices of spiritual discipline and accountability to a couple of close friends. He shares “the boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places for him (Psalm 16).” He is a graduate of Furman University and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and completed his chaplaincy training at UNC Hospitals.

Marcus’ wife, Kim, is an ordained deacon in the Western NC Conference. They have been married for 37 years and have three adult children, Maggie, Jeremy, and Emilee. Maggie graduated from Virginia Tech and lives in Tyson's Corner with her husband, Zach.  Jeremy graduated from Georgia Tech and lives in Atlanta, GA. Emilee graduated from NC State and works at a UMC year round camp in Efalnd, NC. The family is completed with two pets: Gray, a Golden Retriever and Georgie, a calico cat.

Read more: Reverend Marcus Dodson

Saunders Grommesh: Church Administrator

Saunders has been placed on Medical Leave as of October 2025.
 
Saunders Grommesh was born and raised in New Orleans, LA and graduated with a double major in Information Systems - Graphic Design & Asian Studies from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, VA. She started her career working in Charlotte, NC and was asked to help start the new Microsoft site in Dallas, TX. She worked 20 years for Microsoft Corp. as a Technical Support Engineer & Technical Lead where she did various training and hiring in Charlotte, NC, Dallas, TX, Fargo, ND, and Bangalore, India. She has worked and volunteered for non-profits, assisted living & memory care communities.  She assisted families in placing seniors in communities.
 
Saunders and Matt, have been married for over 20 years and moved to Lake Toxaway in 2017.  Saunders worked for United Way Transylvania County for 2.5 years before the board closed the doors in February 2020.  She volunteered as an Augustine Literacy Program tutor at Rosman Elementary School, was an active member of the CARE Coalition, delivered meals to seniors with WNC Source.  Saunders also served on the boards of Mountain Roots, Historic Toxaway Foundation and Bound for Glory Camp.  She worked with Lake Toxaway Charities and is currently the Board Chair for Bound for Glory Camp, a free literacy and Christian camp for 9–12-year-olds in Transylvania County. Her hobbies are photography, hiking, volunteering and exploring our beautiful waterfalls and scenic drives and service to others. Saunders has been the Church Administrator for Lake Toxaway UMC since April 2020. 
 
 
Kathy Palmer

Kathy Palmer: Pianist

Katherine (Kathy) Palmer holds degrees in piano performance from the University of Tennessee and from Indiana University, where she was a student of Menahem Pressler. She first came to North Carolina as Artist-in-Residence at Brevard College, a position she held from 1982-84, and later held positions there as both performer and teacher. An artist/faculty member at the Brevard Music Center from 1993-2000, she has performed with such notable artists as Joseph Robinson, principle oboist of the New York Philharmonic and Charles Vernon, bass trombonist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Having a particular interest in contemporary music, she has collaborated on multiple occasions with Juilliard professors, Eric Ewazen and Samuel Adler, as well as with her husband, Dr. Robert Palmer. While still active as a performer, Kathy has been retired from teaching since May, 2018.
 
Kathy joined Lake Toxaway United Methodist Church as our pianist in October 2024.  We are blessed to have her share her talents with us.  She currently substitutes 6 times a year.
 
 
 
 
.