Julie Collins | Ruling Elder
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AT ALL SOULS?
My husband, Jeff, and I have been attending All Souls for 15 years. They have three children: Abigail, Grady, and Dean.
WHY DID YOU WANT TO SERVE AS AN ELDER? HOW DID YOU EXPERIENCE GOD CALLING YOU TO THIS OFFICE?
I am excited to be of service to this community we love, and to see how God uses the people of All Souls to love God and love our community.
God’s calling came in the shape of a cup of coffee on my back porch, and a conversation with Steven Good (lead pastor) where I thought he was going to ask me to help out with the women’s ministry. Being nominated as an elder was quite a surprise. But God has plans for us that are not our own, and through prayer and conversation with Steven and the other elders I’ve learned to lean into that plan, and instead of wondering “why me”, asking “how can God use me".
WHAT OTHER WAYS HAVE YOU SERVED AT ALL SOULS?
I’ve played with children in pre-school, taught elementary Sunday school, led community groups, set up for VBS, and hosted lots of youth in our backyard.
HOW HAS GOD USED ALL SOULS IN YOUR LIFE?
Our biggest prayer as parents of young children was that they would grow up in a community of Jesus followers that would model for them a real and active faith. All Souls have provided a place to hear about God’s grace for us in the messy and broken, yet truly beautiful world.
TELL US SOMETHING INTERESTING AND UNEXPECTED ABOUT YOURSELF.
I love to paint, and one day hope to turn one of the rooms in our house into in a little art studio.