Earnest, honest relationships with others are vital for me, whether they be through friendship, ministry, creative expression, community-building, therapeutic connection, or spiritual direction. I engage others because I want to empower, encourage, and empathize with them, appreciating their sacred createdness, the profound love that God has for them, and the frequent challenge of everyday life.I am an Elder in Full Connection in the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, currently serving on staff at The Gathering, a multi-site United Methodist church in St. Louis, Missouri. I pastor the Webster site of The Gathering, located in a St. Louis county municipality called Webster Groves, leading a diverse staff engaged in children's ministry, connections, worship, mission, and service. I also serve as pastoral lead for the Gathering’s Care Ministry, overseeing, training, and equipping a multi-site team of Care Ministers, and pastoral liaison to our EMERGE ministry, supporting LGBTQ+ persons and allies as our church continues to invite others into inclusive faithfulness.My heart has always been for building transformative friendships with those on the perceived margins of institutional Christianity and greater society. Because of this, The Gathering's commitment to full inclusion of all of God's people in the life of the church brings me great joy. We are a church whose primary hope is that we might serve as a compelling means by which new people and new generations would know the love of Christ in St. Louis and beyond.Prior to pastoral ministry, I served as a case manager and clinical counselor in residential & public mental health settings, providing individual & group therapy to at-risk children, adolescents, and their families. Additionally, I remain an active freelance illustrator, designer, and creative consultant (having previously co-owned Three Bears Design, a successful Ohio-based creative collaborative with worldwide clientele in the music and entertainment industries). My love for Jesus, punk, hardcore, and creative artistry continue to shape my desire for/understanding of community development, caring for one's neighbor, mutual empowerment & justice-seeking, and what it means to work toward the flourishing of the city in which my family and I live, love, and serve.
Listed skills include Graphic Design, Teaching, Illustration, Art, and 46 others.