Article

Announcing Our New Youth Director

by The Rev. Dr. R. Leigh Spruill

I am very pleased to share my appointment of Sutton Lowe to serve as St. John the Divine’s new Director of Youth Ministry. Sutton and his wife, Marleigh, quickly impressed us when they spent the summer of 2022 with us while Sutton was one of the first class of Summer Seminarian Fellows. Following Sutton's graduation from Duke Divinity School last year, we were blessed to bring the Lowes back to Houston, and Sutton has been on staff as Minister for Young Adult Engagement these past months. Additionally, he has been helping in this transitional year with our youth ministry, working alongside the Rev. Libby Garfield. I am thankful to both Libby and Sutton for their extremely good and faithful ministry with our youth, volunteers, and parents.

Sutton will transition into his official role as Director of Youth Ministry later this spring while continuing to be involved in young adult ministry with Marleigh. Sutton grew up in Lufkin, Texas, and received his BA from Baylor University before his MDiv at Duke Divinity School.

I am tremendously grateful for our youth search committee, co-chaired by Leslie Wade and Larry Lawyer, and for the staff oversight provided by the Rev. Neal McGowan. We have arrived at an outstanding outcome to our search, and I could not be happier or more excited about Sutton’s ministry among us moving forward. If you have not yet had the opportunity to get to know Sutton and Marleigh, I encourage you to do so. We are very fortunate.

In Christ,
Leigh

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