Our Staff Parish Relations Committee is pleased to announce the hiring of Cassandra Lawrence to the position of Coordinator of Youth Ministries. Cassandra comes to us from Shingle Springs, California, near Placerville. She has a great deal of youth-related leadership experience, and strong academic credentials. She received her BA in Religious Studies from the University of British Columbia, and her Masters Degree in Comparative Ethnic Conflict from Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Cassandra grew up attending Foothills United Methodist Church in Rescue, California, and was active in the youth program there. For two years she led the 20-member junior high youth group at the Foothills church. Cassandra also led a group of youth and adults from the same church to Sierra Service Project, and then later served on staff at Sierra Service Project during the summer of 2004.
In 2007, Cassandra served as a field team leader for the AmeriCorps program, where she was responsible for all aspects of her team’s work on the rehabilitation of storm damaged homes. While serving with AmeriCorps, Cassandra was selected to co-lead a pilot program called “Summer of Service,” where she was responsible for 20 team leaders and over 100 teenagers. Currently, Cassandra is working as a volunteer with the youth groups at The Federated Church in Placerville.
Cassandra enjoys playing guitar, writing, cooking, singing, and traveling. She’s been all over the world--including some time in China teaching English lessons-- but says she is ready to settle into a place to set down roots.
The search team assembled by our Staff Parish Committee found Cassandra to be very attentive, warm, and personable. She is looking forward to becoming a part of our church family. We will all want to give Cassandra a wonderful FUMC welcome as she transitions to Santa Rosa, and begins her work with us here on August 4. Welcome aboard Cassandra!