Home / About // Staff and Elders /// Mari Lea Mayberry
Mari Lea moved to Texas from Washington State in 2000. She and her husband, Grieg, began attending Cottonwood in March of that year. Prior to relocating, Mari Lea served for 14 years as a principal’s secretary in the public school system. After she and Grieg married and blended their family of four children, she worked in the insurance industry for two years in Stephenville. Although she appreciated the experience, she missed the meaningful connections and sense of community she had enjoyed in the school setting.
In May 2002, Mari Lea was invited to serve as Administrative Assistant, working alongside the Administrator and Women’s Minister at Cottonwood. She gladly accepted and has faithfully served in that role ever since.
As the first point of contact at Cottonwood, Mari Lea’s goal is to ensure that every person feels valued, heard, and welcomed—whether they call with questions or walk through the church office doors. If she does not have the answer, she is committed to connecting them with someone who does.
“Although Mari Lea’s immediate family did not attend church regularly during her childhood, her grandmother and aunt faithfully took her with them. At the age of eight, she accepted Christ at Vacation Bible School. While her church attendance was inconsistent during her early years, her faith remained present.
After marrying young and welcoming a daughter later that year, Mari Lea began to reflect deeply on her faith and responsibility as a parent. When she and her husband dedicated their baby to the Lord, she fully committed her life to Christ. Since then, she has continued growing in her faith and pursuing a life of service to Him.”
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Mari Lea’s greatest joy is spending time with family. Between her and Grieg, they have seven grandchildren, with one more on the way. She also enjoys time with friends of all ages, watching movies with her husband, and reading.
Mari Lea loves serving others and feels blessed to work in a role that allows her to do so every day. Cottonwood offers many opportunities to volunteer and be involved in church life, and she especially treasures the relationships she has with the staff and church family.