Chapel Friends,
I am thrilled to announce some exciting youth ministry news. After a thorough search and interviewing many great candidates, and with the invaluable help of Whitney Robinson, the Diocese of Mississippi’s Director of Youth Ministries, and several parishioners, we have been given a unique opportunity to call two excellent folks to serve as the Chapel’s Director of Youth Ministries, one as an Interim and one as a permanent Director beginning in a year: Gabbie Munn and Sarah Anderson.
Gabbie will serve as the Interim Director of Youth Ministries. She is a native of Hattiesburg and a 2017 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. She was an active member of Trinity, Hattiesburg and has served as a counselor and Permanent Staff member at Camp Bratton-Green. She plans to begin medical school in the autumn of 2018, hence her call as the Interim. Gabbie says, “I could not be more excited and humbled to be joining the Chapel of the Cross family. I can’t wait to share the next year with the EYC and explore what it means to walk, lead, and love as a follower of Christ.” Gabbie will begin her ministry on 1 August.
Sarah will serve as the permanent Director beginning in August 2018. Between now and then, she will serve with the Episcopal Young Adult Service Corps in Kilimatinde, Tanzania. Please keep Sarah in your prayers as she embarks on this incredible journey and keep up with her adventures on her blog: sarahandersonyasc.wordpress.com. Sarah is a native of Bay Saint Louis and a 2017 graduate of the University of Mississippi. While in Oxford, Sarah served as Assistant EYC (Episcopal Youth Community) Director for St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Oxford and as President of Canterbury: the Episcopal Church at Ole Miss. Sarah has also served on the Diocese’s Department of Youth Committee and as a counselor and Permanent Staff member at Camp Bratton-Green. Sarah says, “”I am so thankful to be welcomed as part of the Chapel family! Working with the youth of the church means so much to me and I very much look forward to being a part of the exciting things happening at Chapel of the Cross.”
While calling Gabbie as Interim and Sarah as the permanent Director is nontypical, both of these equally qualified and exemplary folks stood out in the search process and their unrelated, yet coordinate, timing probably has something to do with the Holy Spirit. Ministry with our youth and their families is one of our most important callings as a community of faith and Sarah and Gabbie will be effective and energetic mentors for our youth. Please pray for them, as well as our ministries with youth. This is an exciting time in our parish and I invite you to join me in welcoming Sarah and Gabbie.
See you at the Chapel,
Ben