Staff Update: Children & Youth
Dear People of Grace,
I am writing to share exciting news with you about children and youth ministries at Grace.
As we celebrate Cheryl Kelley and give thanks for her enormous contribution to our life, we also give thanks for new opportunities for growth and formation in the community. Don’t forget that we will celebrate Cheryl’s ministry with us on Sunday, August 14.
I am happy to share with you that the Rev. Mary Demmler will be joining the staff as part-time Associate Rector for Youth Formation. Mary’s focus will be solely youth and their families, working around ten hours a week to nurture this vital part of our common life. She will also help with Sunday services and other liturgies from time to time. Mary has deep roots at Grace, as many of you know, being confirmed, married (to Derek), and ordained a priest all here at Grace. I am thrilled that she can bring her wealth of experience as both a priest (most recent as rector of St. Matthias in Toccoa) and a school chaplain (at Rabun Gap Nacoochee) to this community, and I hope that all youth and parents will feel supported—and excited—by her ministry with us. Mary’s bio offers this glimpse into her life:
The Rev. Mary R. H. Demmler has been a priest in the Episcopal Church since 2004 and worked in parishes around the Southeast. Currently she lives in Hall County with her family on their farm where she works as a project manager. She continues to write, having published her first book in early 2022, and maintaining her blog, prayerfulkitchen.blog. Mary leads one day and weekend retreats on a variety of spiritual topics.
Her husband, Derek, is an educator at Gainesville High School. Their three kids, River, Bailey, and William, enjoy acting and the arts, playing sports, spending time on the farm, and being involved in church life.
Mary, of course, will build on the deep work that the Rev. Dr. Cynthia Park has done with youth for the past several years. Cynthia worked to form a youth team whose experience and enthusiasm have nurtured the lives of so many youth. Cynthia will now shift her attention to helping me with Adult Formation (as well as her portfolio of pastoral care, helping with outreach, and sharing in the liturgy), offering a special class this fall on the Bible and translation that I know many will find meaningful. As Mary comes on staff in this role, we now look forward to preparing for our youth pilgrimage in June of 2024!
I am also happy to share that Amanda McMillion will be joining the staff as Children’s Ministry Coordinator. Amanda’s focus will be on Sunday School and Children’s Chapel, and she will also share in the deep conversations around children’s formation and family support. Amanda brings a wealth of classroom experience to this ministry, as you can see in her bio:
Amanda Hall McMillion was confirmed into the Episcopal church in 2014 and has been a member of Grace Church ever since. Amanda is a fifth-grade teacher at Riverbend Elementary with over 17 years of experience. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Education with a concentration in elementary instruction from Piedmont University. In 2009, Amanda earned her Master of Arts in Elementary Education, and in 2015 she received her Education Specialist in Curriculum and Instruction.
Amanda has served as the Chicopee Woods Elementary School Teacher of the Year representative for the Hall County School system and was the Response to Intervention Coordinator at Chicopee Woods from 2015 to 2021.
Amanda has a passion for education and an eye for organization. She enjoys creating educational spaces that are safe and engaging. Amanda spends most of her weekends with her son Everett trying to get her husband, David, to cut the grass.
I also want to share my gratitude that Jessica Voyles will now be incorporating other aspects of formation into the rota schedule, the rotation of ministry roles from our common life. Jess will now see how the full spectrum of folks with children’s chapel and nursery are supported. I am deeply grateful for Jess’s attention to the details that help our common life go so smoothly. And, in case you wonder, Jess recently highlighted that it takes 45 people to fully support our Sunday morning services at Grace. We are truly blessed as a community.
I hope by reading this you are excited about what the fall has in store for us as a community. I hope if you have children and youth, you will take advantage of the enormous potential we have for Christian education and spiritual formation. I cannot say enough about how thankful I am for this community.
Blessings to you all,
Stuart+