Hey First Baptist Family,
After a prayerful and thoughtful search process, the High School Student Pastor Search Committee, along with the Personnel Team and Elders, is excited to recommend Will Nixon as our next High School Student Minister.
Will currently leads our Middle School Student Ministry and is a gifted preacher of God’s Word. Those who know him can attest to his godly character, integrity, and strong leadership. Will has demonstrated an exceptional ability to connect with students and help them grow in their faith. He is passionate, committed to personal and spiritual growth, and deeply loves FBC. These are just a few of the many reasons we believe he is the right person for this role.
Shepherd Staff, the search firm that FBC used in the hiring of Pastor Jed, was also utilized in the interview process, in a more limited fashion. They recommended Will for this role as well.
We invite you to prayerfully consider this unanimous recommendation and join us for a time of affirmation on Thursday, June 12 at 7:00 PM in the Sanctuary.
If affirmed, Will would continue overseeing both the High School and Middle School ministries while we work to expand the student ministry team. He will be leading both student summer camps, as previously planned. Because of the ministry structure introduced in January, Will will remain present with both groups when Wednesday night activities resume in August. While small group times will still be separate, much of the programming remains combined, allowing him to maintain consistent involvement with both age groups. Will is excited to continue impacting the lives of both High School and Middle School students.
During this transitional period, Brian Weaver will continue being present in the student ministry and partnering with Will, along with Pastor Jed and the future Executive Pastor once hired. Michelle Lamutt will also continue serving as Student Ministry Assistant.
We’re also excited to share that Grayton Samples will begin serving as Interim Student Coordinator starting June 2. Grayton has a long history with FBC and previously served as a student ministry intern at FBC, an interim youth pastor in North Carolina, on Fuge Summer Staff, and as a leader during our Disciple Now weekends. He feels called to student ministry and will be a valuable part of the team.
In addition, Olivia Finamore will begin a year-long student ministry residency in June, focusing primarily on ministering to Middle and High School girls. Olivia is already well-loved in our community. This Fall, Matt Nixon will begin a residency focused on Missions, which will also include involvement with student ministry.
Looking ahead, we plan to begin searching for a new team member to support Will’s transition. We’re already in discussions with like-minded churches and Shepherd Staff to identify how best to build a strong, effective student ministry team. We aim to complete the Executive Pastor search, Lord willing, this summer before moving forward with additional hires.
If you have any questions, a member of the Personnel Team will be available in the Next Steps area between and after services over the next two weeks. You may also contact Page Arnette (Personnel Chair) or Betsy Laningham (Search Team Chair) directly. Their contact information is listed below.
Page Arnette – Personnel Chair - pagearnette@gmail.com
Betsy Laningham – HS Student Search Committee Chair - bylaningham@gmail.com
Hope to see you June 12.
Thanks,
Pastor Jed