The GC Summer Ministry Team consists of current students of Greenville College who desire to participate in ministry.
How the Team Started
A GC summer ministry team was the vision of Keith Stewart, last year’s student body president. Keith shared his vision with interim president, Dr. Ed Blue and the college’s board of trustees. Dr. Joe Culumber was invited to recruit, train, and supervise the team on a part-time basis. The Free Methodist church responded enthusiastically with opportunities for students to serve in a variety of ways. As a result, the team of three women and two men will be working in churches, youth camps, and family camps in the Gateway, Wabash, and North Central annual conferences in June and July. See the accompanying schedule for details.
The team members are:
Dr. Joe Culumber
Summer Ministry Team Director
An ordained elder in the Free Methodist Church, he has extensive pastoral experience in the Gateway and Pacific Northwest Annual Conferences. He served with the denomination as an urban strategist in Asia, and has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in several colleges and seminaries. In addition to his time in Asia, Dr. Culumber has also ministered in Haiti, Romania, Malawi, Egypt and Jordan. He is beginning his 10th year of teaching at Greenville College.
Erin Morris
I grew up as an active member of the Free Methodist Church. The church had and continues to have a major significance on the formation of my character. I am a Junior studying Psychology as a major and Sociology as a minor. I hope to enrich people’s lives by imitating Christ’s love. What does that looks like as a vocation? I’m in the process of figuring that out. In the past I’ve enjoyed working with kids, however, recently I’ve been gearing in the direction of something that organizes people according to their strengths, and involves public speaking. I’m not sure what kind of position that might be. I love working with people. Most of my strengths are “people strengths”: Harmony, Relator, Restorative, Developer, and Responsibility. This summer I hope to use those strengths when interacting with my teammates and people in the churches we serve. In return I expect to grow and learn more about gracefully ministering and relating to people.
Kristin Moody
I am a Senior Chemistry Education major, and have only one semester of student teaching left in the fall. I have greatly enjoyed my time at Greenville, and as I look back over it, I believe that my favorite thing about Greenville College is the faculty that has stood by me and the other students. College can be a very unstable time for students, and the faculty are a strong anchor and family to us, and that is priceless.
I grew up in and became a member of the Free Methodist church in Alton, IL, which I still consider my home church. I am very extroverted and thus I love people. I am very excited about serving with the ministry team, as I have visited other churches before and enjoy the experience of seeing what the Body of Christ is doing in different places. I enjoy working in ministry and look forward to joining in the ministry of the places we will visit this summer. I currently do not know where God has called me after I graduate in December, and I am hoping that as I serve on the ministry team this summer God will continue to unfold His plan for me and show me what my next move is. My strengths are WOO (winning others over), Learner, Relator, Individualization, and Arranger.
Matt Gregg
I am from Williamston, Michigan and I am a junior at Greenville, going for a double degree in Business Management and History/Political Science. I stay busy outside of class by participating in most of the intramural sports, especially ultimate Frisbee. I am also part of the residence staff; I was an RC for second Joy last year and had possibly the best floor ever. This year I am an upper division RC in charge of Stephens/Young house. I am from a Christian home with my dad as a pastor, and I have been a member at the First Baptist Church of Williamston my whole life. In order to get the most out of college, one has to do more than take classes. I know that activities and opportunities outside of the classroom will contribute to my mental, physical, and spiritual growth. I am excited about being on the Summer Ministry Team, since it will be a great way to broaden my horizons and to use my gifts to help others. My strengths are Relator, Belief, Strategic, Developer, and Responsibility.
Rachel Dothager
My family is Free Methodist but I have been actively raised and baptized in the Nazarene church. I am a Sophomore Elementary Education major, and enjoyed completing my science endorsement. God has called me to serve those children who are poor and helpless; He has broken my heart for them. Teaching in inner-city St. Louis or East St. Louis will be my ministry. I also want to get married and have a large family full of lots of boys. My strengths, in order, are Communication, Input, Belief, Responsibility, and WOO. I wanted to apply for the ministry team back when Keith first pitched the idea in September or October. I love camp, church, and serving Jesus and others; a whole summer full of all three of those items makes me so excited. My favorite thing about Greenville College is the relationships I have established here. Roommates, guys, girls, professors, and other community members have blessed my life, challenged me, and helped me grow into a person that I never knew I could become. I expect that the team and people I meet this summer will continue to transform me.
Zach DeMiele
I’m a Sophomore Pastoral Ministries major. I grew up United Methodist, but don’t hold that against me. I try to incorporate Christ in all my decisions, but have come to mature recently with the realization that I am nowhere near tapping all of my potential that I can realize through Christ. I wanted to join this team because it seemed like a unique oppurtunity for me to exercise my calling for ministry and a great way to spend my summer. My strengths are: Input, Intellection, Context, Learner, and Adaptability, in that order. What I like most about Greenville College is the oppurtunity I am given to grow spiritually on campus and the overall encouraging attitude of the school to live a Christian life.
