Youth Staff
Welcoming the Rev. Sarah E. Kerr
I am very pleased to announce that the Rev. Sarah E. Kerr has accepted my call to join our staff as Associate Rector with primary responsibilities for spiritual leadership of our Youth Ministry. She will assume this new ministry July 1st. Sarah will also share with all of the clergy in the sacramental and pastoral ministry of St. George's, and she will also offer leadership for the young adult ministry.
Sarah currently serves as Assistant to the Rector for Christian Formation and Youth Ministry at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Tampa, Florida. She received her Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School (Magna cum Laude) and her undergraduate B.A. in English and Ancient Languages from Wheaton College. A native of Maine, she has extensive experience in youth ministry, foreign mission trips, and leading youth worship services as priest and musician.
For several years, our senior lay and clergy leadership team have identified a need for a fourth full-time associate priest on staff, so I am very thankful that with the current vacancies in our youth department we were able to issue this call to Sarah. I believe she is a "rising star" for the larger church, and we are incredibly blessed by Sarah's acceptance of the invitation to share in our ministry. She is a delightful person, full of energy, and most importantly a woman of mature faith. I might add that Sarah is extremely thankful and excited about this new ministry.
We continue our search for a Director of Student Discipleship. I have every confidence that once we fill this vital role on our ministry team and with the addition of Sarah, we will be extremely well-poised to grow and deepen our youth ministry. This is an exciting development for the whole church, and I give thanks to God for all future blessings that will come from these additions to our outstanding staff.
RLS+
Welcoming David Bennett, Director of Student Discipleship
I am very pleased to announce that Mr. David Bennett has accepted the call to join our staff as Director of Student Discipleship. Since 2004 David has served as the Creative Dramatics, Bible, and Band Teacher at The Oak Hill School here in Nashville. Already well-known and beloved by many of our parishioners and youth, David brings considerable experience, energy and passion to this new ministry. David received his undergraduate degree from Clemson University and has a Masters of Divinity degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. A licensed ordained minister in the Baptist tradition, David's extensive experience in youth ministry includes positions on church staffs in Nashville and Greenville, SC, as well as professional positions writing and editing Christian curricula for youth and adults. He is the author of numerous published devotionals and articles.
David is married to, Kimberly whom he describes as his "right arm, mind, and heart." They have three daughters: Mary Claire will be a freshman at Harpeth Hall this fall; Caroline begins Harpeth Hall as a seventh grader; and Sarah Kate is a rising sixth grader at The Oak Hill School.
David begins his ministry among us August 1. With his strong, mature leadership, lively personality, and working alongside our other new senior staff minister, Sarah Kerr, I am confident that our youth ministries are poised for renewed energy and growth. This is an exciting new development for our youth, youth leaders, staff and entire congregation. I know you will join me in extending David and his family a very warm welcome to St. George's later this summer.
--RLS+
Calvert Garstin
Student Discipleship Coordinator
385-2150 ext. 261
calvert.garstin@stgeorgesnashville.org