Two New Student Associates Joining in August!
Our church is fortunate to be in a major city near significant theological seminaries. So over the years we’ve had numerous opportunities to employ students part-time, to benefit from their skills and passions, and to contribute to the development of their ministerial careers. That tradition will continue this fall as we welcome two new student associates to our staff for the coming year. The Personnel Committee is pleased to announce that Zachary Mason has accepted the invitation to become our part-time Youth Associate for the next year, and Jewel Cannon has accepted the invitation to become our part-time Children’s Associate. Both Jewel and Zach will be beginning their final year at Mercer’s McAfee School of Theology in late August and will be working with our new Pastor for Families, Andrea Corso Johnson. We hope to welcome both Zach and Jewel to our family in worship on Sunday, August 20.
Jewel Cannon is a native of the Bronx, NY where she grew up in one of the historic Baptist congregations of her community. She is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University with a B.A. in Psychology (and a minor in history), where she served as a leader in campus organizations. In her home church, Jewel was an active leader in the youth and young adult ministries. Since beginning her seminary studies at McAfee, Jewel has served in internships with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, providing leadership for children’s ministry programs in local churches both in the Atlanta area and back home in the Bronx. She has a strong interest in pastoral care and spiritual formation for children, youth, and families and is excited to be joining FBCD as we work to refocus our outreach to children and families in our local Decatur community. Jewel brings a strong background of working with children in the local church setting and is committed to serving children within the contexts of their families and faith community.
Zachary Mason is a native of Frankfort, KY, and a graduate of Ohio University with a B.S.S in sports management. After college, Zach worked for three years in leadership roles with a faith-based community ministry program providing recreational and spiritual growth opportunities for children and youth in low-income neighborhoods of Nashville, TN. Since coming to Atlanta to begin studies at McAfee, Zach has worked as a restaurant manager and as a ministry associate in another local CBF church. This summer, he is engaged in a short-term internship with Myers Park Baptist Church in Charlotte, working with their youth and on their advocacy and social media projects. Zach has told us that he wants to be in a place that takes its faith seriously and connects faith to the challenges of life in the real world of its community. And he believes that FBCD is just that place! Zach also admits to being a basketball player. So as he begins working with our youth this fall we’ll perhaps see him hanging out with them in our gym some too!