The Personnel Committee is delighted to announce that our own Rev. Mary Kaylor will expand her role on our church staff in 2025! Under the new title of Associate Pastor for Newcomers, Young Adults, and Community Engagement, Mary’s exceptional work with our newcomers and young adults will grow alongside these flourishing groups in our church. She will add a wholly new area of ministry called “Community Engagement,” which will bring her keen ministerial energies to coordinating any large community event that happens either in our space or involves our congregation’s presence in the community. This role manages “outside in” (outside community organizations in our space) and “inside out” (non-missions related times when the church goes out in the community), but not “inside in” or “inside together” (church fellowship gatherings inside the church house or together outside the church house). Mary’s leadership will coordinate efforts with what we’ve commonly called “outreach,” while acknowledging that one of our church’s best tools for outreach is our space! In her work with community engagement, she will coordinate and grow our capacity for weddings, speakers, concerts, conferences, anniversary gatherings, community festivals, and outreach events, all bringing her theological commitments to hospitality and pastoral sensitivities to this new area of our church’s ministry.
This need for staff support of community engagement was identified by the Deacon subgroup working on staffing in 2023 and 2024, and Personnel is so grateful for the church’s support of our expanding ministries to make it possible! Starting January 1, Mary’s hours will increase from 15 hours/week to 29 hours/week, and no later than July 1, she will move to full-time, 40 hours/week. Join us in welcoming Mary to her newly-expanded role!