Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Pinson.
Hi Susan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I began serving on the ministry staff of Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church in 2008, after completing a Master of Divinity at Duke Divinity School and a Master of Social Work in gerontology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. My husband and I are both “PKs” – preacher’s kids – who grew up in the North Georgia Conference and met while attending Reinhardt College. We now spend our time carpooling our own elementary and middle school “PKs.” Being a part of the Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church and Emory University communities during the past almost 18 years has been a blessing and provided rich relationships, deep friendships, and some unforgettable experiences. The honor and privilege to journey with people through their life’s milestones is remarkable — from being at the hospital hours after a baby is born to being in the room when someone takes their last breath on this earth and everything in between.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the parts of my job is to send out the church-wide email with prayer requests that we have permission to share. We call this email “Joys and Concerns” and I think that’s a perfect description of life….there’s always joy and concern along life’s journey. Personally and professionally through the years I’ve experienced lots of laughter and lots of tears. But I’m so grateful for a faith community to journey alongside me!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My official title is Senior Associate Pastor – Minister for Children, Older Adults, and Congregational Care. While most clergy oversee all of these areas in churches/mosques/temples of all faith traditions and sizes, Glenn Church entrusted me as a fresh-from-seminary young adult to nurture and care for their youngest and oldest members, which was unique to combine into one role. On any given day I might stop by a nursing home and visit with someone old enough to be my grandparent while also having the honor to pray a blessing over a newborn baby. Planning field trips and community service projects for retirees around Atlanta and planning community-wide events like our annual Easter Egg Hunt and Trunk or Treat for families fill my calendar. Hosting support groups for caregivers, single moms, or the grieving or planning an intergenerational camping trip might fill another week. Reading a storybook for preschoolers or writing and preaching a sermon for all ages are all on my calendar.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love that Atlanta really is a big, small town! Most days when I walk into a store or restaurant I will either run into a church member, neighbor, or friend from the PTA — or for my regular stops, the cashier and I know each other’s name.
I’m not sure I dislike anything about the ATL… I’m sure most folks say the traffic, but locals just figure out the traffic patterns and we make it work!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.glennumc.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glennumc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glennumc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/glennmemorialumc
