Sarah Champlin, Minister of Youth, Young Adults, and Mission
We are excited to announce that Sarah Champlin will be the new Minister of Youth, Young Adults, and Mission! Sarah completes our amazing youth ministry team which includes Squire Prince, our young adult staff and volunteers, and the Youth Committee. She will join us this summer after graduating from Boston University School of Theology with a Master of Divinity and an emphasis on Global and Community Engagement.
Sarah is a New Trier graduate and was a faithful youth at First United Methodist Church in Evanston, where her leaders inspired her to pursue youth ministry as a career and a calling. Before attending seminary, she served as Youth Director at a large church in suburban Philadelphia, where she developed weekly youth ministry programming, led local and international mission trips, and co-taught confirmation.
Sarah brings a deep desire to live in “relationship with God, each other, and all of creation” and to widen “community at every opportunity.” Her faith inspires a passion for ecological justice, particularly food access. With Sarah’s guidance, Kenilworth Union will further the work of justice, service, and mission for youth and families.
Sarah will join the mission trip to Puerto Rico in June and begin full-time on July 17. Before she arrives, please help us fill her mailbox with notes of welcome mailed to the church or emailed to Sarah Champlin. We’ll welcome her on July 23 and at multiple events being planned for this summer.
The Search Committee spent nine months searching nationwide for just the right person to join our ministry team. As part of that process, Sarah visited Kenilworth Union for two days before Easter, meeting with our staff, parents, volunteers, and youth.
Thank you to the congregation for your prayers, support, and patience over the past year; to Squire Prince, Greta Connor, Chris Sciortino, Charlie Nahrwold, the Youth Ministry Committee, and our wonderful volunteers for keeping the youth ministry program running smoothly; and to our Youth Minister Search Committee members. We could not have done it without the support of the entire congregation and staff!
The Youth Minister Search Committee: Kim Crossgrove and Scott Fowkes (co-chairs), Kent Born, Katherine Groff, Ken Harris, Melinda Hurley, Katie Nahrwold, and Chris Sciortino; and Christine Hides and Katie Lancaster (staff liaisons)