Introducing Laura Beach
by Jason Byassee
Jason Byassee
Dear Church,
I am often staggered by the gifts on our staff. And I often wonder how to let others in on what I see. So in response to a good suggestion (thanks Dave Rowe!) I’d like to use this space to interview them, starting with our newest pastoral hire, the Rev. Laura Beach. Laura is a graduate of Davidson College and Duke Divinity School and is working for us two days a week in Luke Edwards’ old role as mission coordinator. When she is not working for us, she is helping coordinate the Circles anti-poverty initiative in which Boone Methodist is also invested. Her job for us is not to do all the mission work (who could?!) but to coordinate each of our efforts to offer ourselves in response to God’s calling on our lives.
What made you decide to be a Christian?
Because God’s grace went before me and drew me in. I’m in love with a God who had the power to create everything out of nothing, but who was willing to set aside that power to come live among us in the most vulnerable way–as a frail human baby. I am compelled to follow a God who had such great love for us wayward people that Jesus was willing to call us “friends,” and to die the most painful death at our hands without resorting to violence in return. I find joy in knowing Jesus and meeting him anew in the most unlikely people. I love that Jesus forms into one body people who would normally have little reason to connect. I want to be like the saints, who have such faith that they are willing to give up their whole lives following the One who showed us what it means to be truly human.
What made you decide to be a minister?
Since middle school I have wanted to serve people, especially society’s voiceless and powerless. I thought I would do that as a public servant. In college I studied international development with a focus on sustainable agriculture. I thought I would serve in a non-profit development agency. But during a summer internship at Maggie Valley UMC, I began to see how God might want to use my gifts and passion for serving to equip the church to be in relationship and ministry with those who are often overlooked by the church. In the years that followed, God kept affirming that I was called to minister to and through God’s set apart people–the Body of Christ.
What’s your deepest hope for your job?
I am delighted that in my role here at Boone UMC I am able to combine some of my background in development and my love for people to help us as a church engage the community to work towards creating an environment where all people can flourish. My deepest hope is that we would so authentically engage and love the community that those we meet would become family who say “This is my church!”, whether we meet them through our firewood ministry, the community garden, Circles of the High Country, our work at the Hospitality House, or in local schools and agencies. On the flip side, my hope is that through these relationships–as well as through our international partnerships –Jesus will continue to make us holier.
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
Most people know pretty quickly when they meet me that I’m strange. You’ll see me riding my bike when it’s cold,bringing my own plate and utensils everywhere so I don’t have to use disposables, being adamant about recycling, eating food that would otherwise be wasted, and in general insisting that we think about the impact various decisions have on our more vulnerable neighbors–human and non-human. What most people do not know is that all these strange things I do come from deep convictions about what it means to follow Jesus, to love God and neighbor, and to be faithful and grateful stewards of all the gifts God has given us. So, if you see me doing something strange, and think, “Why is she doing that?” I’d love to have a conversation about it!