Meet our Family Ministry Team
We believe that the message of Jesus is for everyone, our children and youth included. Here at Soul we place a strong emphasis on our Family Ministries and prioritize the discipleship of young people in recognition that they are at a critical time in their faith formation.
Our Family Ministry team oversees the ministry of children and youth from birth through young adulthood and works to partner with parents and caregivers, equipping them to be the primary disciple-makers of their children. We recognize that parents and caregivers are the strongest influence in the lives of their children and that the work of the church must complement the discipleship that happens at home. Our Family Ministry team is led by Pastor Beth, our Family Ministry Pastor, and includes our staff and Servant Leaders that minister to our kids, youth, and parents.
As we launch into the 2023-2024 academic year, we are pleased to announce that all staff positions within our Family Ministry have been successfully filled. Our dedicated team is brimming with enthusiasm as we prepare to engage with and serve the Soul community. Allow us to introduce the members of our Family Ministry team, each of whom brings unique qualities to our mission. Additionally, we would like to offer you a glimpse of what our Family Ministries will encompass this upcoming fall.
Pastor Beth Braun
Pastor Beth, our Family Ministry Pastor, provides leadership and direction to our Family Ministry Team, overseeing all the staff who minister in Soul Kids Jr. (ages 0-4), Soul Kids (grades 1-5), YOUNG LIFE (grades 6-8), WILDLIFE (grades 9-12), and Young Adults (ages 18+). Pastor Beth joined the Soul Staff in March 2022 with the intention of ensuring that the parents of Soul Sanctuary are equipped to be the primary disciple-makers of their children. Since bringing Beth onto our team, we have actively worked to support her with a team of ministry staff who could run effective children and youth ministries, supporting the vision of Soul Sanctuary and our desire to equip families.
As we move into the new school year you can expect to see Pastor Beth pioneering changes across all our Family Ministry areas that allow for us to better fulfill our vision of being a community of refuge, repair, and rejuvenation for all people. Quite practically, this looks like the implementation of infant and toddler care in Soul Kids Jr., a renewal of the child dedication process, and the creation of intentional family connection points where relationships are fostered between families with kids of similar ages.
Pastor Andrew Davison
Pastor Andrew has served at Soul since 2015, starting as the Jr. High Ministry Director before becoming the Student Ministries Pastor in 2019. Pastor Andrew oversees the ministry of YOUNG LIFE (grades 6-8) and WILDLIFE (grade 9-12), providing leadership to our Servant Leader teams and youth interns. Andrew primarily serves to pastor and train our student ministry leaders, ensuring that they are equipped to effectively minister to our students and to provide a ministry that challenges students to grow in their discipleship to Jesus.
Our student ministries seek to introduce students to a life-giving relationship with Jesus and to connect them to Soul Sanctuary church as they are discipled into maturing Christian believers. Under Andrew’s leadership, and with an incredible team of Servant Leaders, our student ministries will continue to pursue this vision in the 2023-2024 academic year.
Piper Naim
Piper first joined the Soul Sanctuary staff in 2019, serving for four years as our Jr. High Ministry Director. Having recently accepted the role of Children’s Ministry Director, Piper will shift her focus from YOUNG LIFE to our Sunday morning Children’s Ministries. Piper’s focus will be on building and leading unified and equipped Servant Leader teams that understand how to share the message of Jesus with children, as well as prioritizing the faith formation of our children in a fun and experiential way.
Our children's ministries aim to provide occasions for nurturing a child's belief in Jesus from a young age. We prioritize the presence of skilled leaders who are dedicated to fostering meaningful connections with the children. Our focus is on facilitating the development of friendships among peers, fostering mentoring relationships between children and their leaders, and nurturing a deepening connection with God throughout their journey of faith.
Sydney Dillabough
Sydney joins our team as a Family Ministry Assistant with a focus in Children’s Ministry. Sydney has served previously on the Soul Sanctuary staff as a summer student in 2022, as the Summer Camp Co-Director in 2023, and has been a volunteer YOUNG LIFE leader since 2020. Syd will partner with Piper through actively participating in both Soul Kids and Soul Kids Jr. on Sunday mornings as well as offering administrative support through Servant Leader scheduling and preparation of supplies.
Nic Bergen
Nic joins our team as a Family Ministry Assistant with a focus in Youth Ministry. Nic has been a part of the Soul community for over 15 years and has served in YOUNG LIFE since 2019. He has completed two years of the Soul Sanctuary Internship Program and served on the Soul Sanctuary staff as a summer student in 2022 and as the Summer Camp Co-Director in 2023. Nic will step into a greater leadership role with YOUNG LIFE on Friday Nights and Sunday mornings, play a key role in our new Youth Alpha initiative, and will support Pastor Andrew with executing the vision of Soul Sanctuary in our Student Ministries.
Our Family Ministry team looks forward to welcoming you and your family to Soul this fall. Here are a few important Family Ministry dates to set in your calendar.
YOUNG + WILD Summer Camp - August 27 - September 1
Kindergarten Move Up Day - September 3
Youth Kick Off/Parent Info Night - September 15
Community-Wide BBQ - September 17
Baptism Sunday - September 24
Family Corn Maze Event - September 28
Adult and Youth Alpha Kick Off - October 6
Child Dedication Sunday - October 15
YOUNG LIFE Serving Sunday - October 29