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Top 10 Pieces at Peace






This month, I am celebrating ten years of serving in the local church. Ten years ago, I was so excited about the opportunity I was given to be working with students! That call only continued to grow focusing in the areas of discipleship, service with justice and compassion, and leadership. However, my focus has always been divided. While serving at Christ United Methodist Church for 7 years, I was able to double as a full time undergraduate and graduate student. While at Faith Community UMC, I explored a calling to serving as a senior pastor. While at Peace UMC, the focus was wide serving alongside people working with birth through 12th grade. 

 Peace United Methodist Church will forever be part of my story. There have been some amazing things that have happened in the life of the church and its ministries. So much has happened in the past two years, yet it seems like the time has gone so quickly.

 Another part of my story that definitely went down quickly was exploring an opportunity at Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church in Cincinnati. There was an open position serving with youth (7-12th grade) and young adults in this faith community. It was obvious that this church values and sees the importance of giving priority to ministry with youth people. The exploring led to great conversations and ended in an accepted job offer. 

 Serving at Hyde Park Community UMC will be the first time my attention will not be divided in working with young people. From the initial interactions and conversations with the pastors, staff, and people at HPCUMC, I'm very much looking forward to being part of their team! I’m beyond excited for how God will work in me and through me in this faith community, Cincinnati, and beyond! 

While this was not an opportunity I was actively seeking out, it was one I could not pass up. It was also a decision that was made after lots of time in prayer, conversation, and discernment. It was not an easy decision and I will miss the people at Peace UMC greatly. There have been great things happening and my hope and prayer is that they will continue.


While at Faith Community UMC, I made this habit of filling a box with pieces of paper with memories written on them. As a “goodbye,” I wanted to share my top 10 at Peace UMC, in no particular order. The top 10 is based on how many submissions (each point will have multiple memories/stories written down):
  • Filming all the students for Confirmation Sunday. Hearing their stories, reflections, and highlights of their Confirmation experiences and faith journeys was incredible!
  • Being in the sound booth, seeing the smiling faces of 500+ children, students, and adults who filled our church to learn/teach about God at VBS! 
  • Watching the intergenerational relationships grow through bible studies, preparing and delivering meals, Sunday mornings, Children's Summer Gardening, Prayers at Pickerington Schools, and Work Camp.
  • Coaching 1-2nd graders in Upward Soccer for two seasons. There was lots of time spent watching Youtube videos to understand drills since I never played soccer a day in my life!
  • Mentoring two students as they dove deeper in the areas of discipleship and leadership starting as Confirmation mentors and coming on board as Summer Interns. Being present for their first sermons was a privilege. 
  • Witnessing "light bulb" moments during Godly Play stories for younger elementary children. They have incredible insight and give me hope for the future of the Church.
  • Seeing how the idea of Breakfast and Bibles became a reality. Who would have thought that so many high school students would give up sleeping in on their two hour delay to get together to study the bible and eat breakfast?!
  • Watching the students grow closer to each other and starting to spend time with each other outside of church.
  • The ahhhhh-mazingly funny answers I would get from kids interviewing them over an ice cream sundae for the Spotlight Kid of the Week.
  • Watching the Peace Church Family come together for the All-Church Serving Projects. There were some incredible things that happened in the name of God for the Kingdom! 
Peace Church, thank you for the opportunity to be part of your faith community's story. 
Children's Summer Gardening 

The Summer Interns Katelyn and Leyton

Breakfast and Bibles
Godly Play

Confirmation Sunday
Last Game for Upward Soccer

Honorable Mention: That one time the Core Team showed up in all blue...unplanned. 

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