REV. JACOB DOUYLLIEZ - ASSOCIATE PASTOR

Jacob grew up in the church manse next door and first sensed a call to ministry as a child, delivering his first “sermon” by stacking the red 1957 hymnals behind the pulpit and reading from Isaiah. That early experience, combined with the warmth and support of a nurturing congregation, provided a lasting foundation for his faith.

Jacob was active in presbytery youth programs and served as a Youth Advisory Delegate to the 2008 General Assembly, an experience that deepened his love for the church and sparked a passion for justice and reconciliation. He attended Piedmont College in Northeast Georgia, where he studied music and later philosophy and religion, continuing to discern a call to ministry throughout his college years.

After college, Jacob married Catherine, his close friend since high school. They lived in Birmingham, Alabama, where she worked as a nurse and Jacob served as a youth director while applying to seminary. Jacob earned a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2016 and was ordained later that year.

Jacob served as Pastor and Head of Staff at First Presbyterian Church of Marion, North Carolina, before relocating to the Athens, Georgia area after the birth of his daughter, Valerie. During that season, Jacob served in both church and university settings, including as Director of Music at Covenant Presbyterian Church and with the University of Georgia’s Office of Student Financial Aid. In 2020, Jacob was called as pastor of Eatonton Presbyterian Church, where he has served with gratitude. Catherine and Jacob continue to live in Athens with their two children, Valerie and Gibson. Jacob also serves as Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Northeast Georgia and remains deeply committed to the flourishing of the church and its witness in the world.

Contact Jacob: jacob@bufordpres.com