Sarah Canterbury Joins the Beachside Team

May 13, 2010

We have great news! Kim Neel has done an amazing job of creating  our Family Ministry environments here at Beachside, but she recently decided it was time to step back from her staff role and find a new role as a Beachside volunteer. So, as usual, God has provided in an incredible way! I want to introduce you to Sarah Canterbury and her husband Ryan. Sarah is now the newest member of our team of Beachside staff, and she will be serving as our new Children’s Director. Rather than me telling you about her why don’t we ask Sarah some questions:

Q: Tell us a little about Sarah Canterbury. Where are you from, where have you been living, are you married, kids, etc…?
Sarah: I am from Canton, Mississippi. Bring on the jokes, I can take them. For the past 3 years my husband, Ryan and I have been living in Greenville, South Carolina. We don’t have any kids. We do have a dog, Baxter (yes, his name is from Anchorman).

Q: What do you like to do for fun?
Sarah: I like to jog, hike, read, bake, play games and eat meals with friends.

Q: Do you like the beach?
Sarah: In general I love being outside, mountains or beach I am happy. I can spend all day reading on the beach!

Q: What is your favorite food?
Sarah: I don’t think it is fair to pick one specific favorite food. I could always eat dessert instead of a meal, and Sushi, Indian and Mexican food can make any day a better day.

Q: What really gets on your nerves?
Sarah: Hair! I hate hair. I married someone who could pass as Chubacka and I have an inside dog.

Q: What brings you to Fort Walton Beach?
Sarah: About 6 months ago, a friend told Ryan and I about Beachside and we began to pray about it. God was using us in some amazing ways through our community in Greenville. We spent the next few months praying for God to lead us in our marriage and show us what He wanted us to do for His Kingdom. We knew that He was preparing for us to leave, so we just began looking into cities and communities to see if that is where God was moving. After that, everything fell into place for us. Ryan got a job with a company, Innovative Sight and Sound, and I was offered the opportunity to do Family Ministry at Beachside. We are thrilled to be moving to Fort Walton and start this next chapter of our lives.

Q: So, why do you like NPM Strategic Partner churches?
Sarah: I love the NPM strategic partners for so many reasons. I love living in community with people who are seeking God, and that together we can work to create a place to invite our friends to meet God that is comfortable and relatable to them. I also love the family ministry model, and by that I mean the intentionality behind each environment that is created for each phase of a child’s life. Also I love that this model is committed to partnering with parents to truly equip parents with tools to be spiritual leaders.

Q: What do you hope to see happen with Beachside Community Church?
Sarah: I hope to see families’ lives changed, whether they have never experienced God or have been burnt by religion before. I want to see Beachside volunteers grow, because people are finding fulfillment in serving God. I hope to see and be a part of a community within Beachside that loves each other well and serves others well. I would love to see parents filled with joy that their preschooler knows “God made me and God loves me!” I would love to see some boys and girls so excited about what God is doing in their lives that they can’t wait to tell their small group leaders.

Q: What about this idea of partnering with parents? Why is that important?
Sarah: Partnering with parents, I could talk for several hours on this topic. Basically, God created the family and placed parents as the spiritual leaders, and then He gave us the church. It only makes sense that the two should work together to grow a child spiritually. Reggie Joiner says, “Two combined influences make a greater impact than just two influences.” I am passionate about making this happen. I want to help equip parents with tools to be leaders at home, and I want to work hard to ensure that our environments on Sunday morning for children are excellent in every way.

Q: What is your favorite verse in the Bible?
Sarah: Favorite verse right now in the Bible: “He died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.” 1 Thessalonians 5:10. It is a great reminder to me that God sacrificed His Son so that we can live together. I want to live with God in every moment and every decision of my day.

Thanks Sarah! We are glad you are here and are excited to see how God uses you at Beachside as we continue to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you want to connect more with Sarah, feel free to leave comments below or connect with Sarah on Facebook.

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