Meet Our Youth Ministry Staff
Associate for High School Ministry - Marissa Joyce
Marissa enjoys the color pistachio, creating new combinations of Cook Out Milkshakes, reading an endless supply of library books, and of course, hanging out with high school students. She was born and raised in the Dash, and received her BA in Psychology from the best scholastic institution on earth, Appalachian State University. She has her MA in Christian Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She is also a Notary Public for the State of North Carolina, her most esteemed professional achievement to date. Her passionate prayer for the students she ministers with is that they would completely understand and receive the message in Ephesians 3:14-20, and let the love of God revolutionize their worlds.. Marissa lives with her husband Daniel and her little dog Maybie in a house on a hill with a hammock.
Intern for High School Ministry - Katharine Staples Phone: 723-1621 x285 E-mail: katharines@1stpres.com
Katharine believes in the theory of going big or going home! A Seattle native, she graduated from St. Mary’s college of Divinity within the University of St. Andrews, Scotland in June 2010 with a Masters of Theology and Biblical Studies. God has pursued her with the idea of ministry in the last few years with Children’s ministry internships in Seattle and Virginia, but believes the Lord has called her to Winston-Salem for a reason and with a purpose: loving, encouraging, teaching and being taught by middle school students. Being so blessed at St. Andrews with a time of intellectual growth and the invitation to engage in a life of community worship through academia, she is excited about sharing and participating in the love of our Lord’s word and work in a more holistic way at First Presbyterian. Her love of the word extends most directly in this season to the Gospel of John. She’s thrilled to be here so please, come by and say hi!
Associate for Middle School Ministry - Sam Fornecker
Sam can walk and chew gum at the same time. He majored in English at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and graduating in May 2009, is promptly hopping down the road to Winston-Salem to grow in Christ with the youth at First Pres. The grace of God wooed his heart to the ministry while he was studying in the United Kingdom in 2007, and has been at work bringing him into loving relationships with wonderful and unique people ever since. He and his soon-to-be wife, Gina, are thrilled about their future in Winston and the opportunity to serve the middle school ministry there. Sam wants to form real and honest relationships with the middle schoolers and walk with them through whatever life has to offer, weaving a story about how he’s experienced the love of God and learning from them about what the Lord has revealed in their lives.
Intern for Middle School Ministry - Caroline Newman Phone: 723-1621 x287 E-mail: CarolineN@1stpres.com
Caroline is a Tar Heel, graduating from the great University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May with majors in Spanish and Religious Studies. Caroline is a native of Winston-Salem, and is thankful to return for a year. This year is a fulfillment of a 6-year dream… Full time youth ministry! She worked part time in youth ministry throughout college and during the summers, so is glad to finally be able to say that she’s a full time youth worker. Caroline loves to play soccer and has recently found the time to begin reading fiction novels again (something that didn’t happen a whole lot during college). Her recent discovery is that exercising after work builds patience and prevents arguments with her parents, who she is living with this year. She loves any excuse to eat ice cream… So give her a ring if you want to grab fro yo one day!
Admin. Assistant for Youth Ministries - Sharon Sturkie Phone: 723-1621 x297 E-mail: sharonst@1stpres.com
Sharon and her husband, Carter, have been members of First Presbyterian since 1997. They have three daughters that keep them very busy in addition to a dog (Sugar), a cat (Jacky), fish and a hamster! Sharon has been an active member in KidzClub, Mustard Seed Club, teaching Sunday School , participating on the Discipleship Committee and planning the Father/Daughter dance. She enjoys watching old movies (from the 30’s, 40’s, etc…), going to the lake, swimming, walking and spending time with her family. She is excited to be a part of the youth ministry team and watching our children grow as they develop their own personal relationship with God.
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