News associate minister at St. Luke's

A new associate minister at St. Luke's United Methodist Church will begin her duties June 1.

The Rev. Darwood Galaway announced this week that Margaret "Meg" Edmondson, 28, has accepted her first full-time ministry position with the Kilgore church.

The 28-year-old graduated May 11 from Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Ga., and said she looks forward to her new duties as pastor for the Wesley Foundation at Kilgore College and youth minister at St. Luke's.

In addition, Edmondson will develop an alternative worship service set to begin next January.

"She will be working over the next six-month period to determine the kind of music and service that will be in the gym, and she'll be reaching out to college, high school students and older adults who enjoy that kind of energy," Galaway said.

Edmondson said she feels as if she already knows the community because she recently served at Wesley United Methodist Church in Beaumont with Robert Besser, who ministered the Kilgore church for about nine years, and his wife Pam.

"I have heard nothing but wonderful things about the church and the community from the Bessers," Edmondson said.

She joins her sister and brother-inlaw in the ministry. Christie Hale is pastor of the Port Arthur United Methodist Church and Josh Hale is campus pastor at Lamar University in Beaumont.

Edmondson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English/liberal arts from West Liberty State College in West Virginia. She had a 4.0 grade point average at Candler, where she graduated with honors.

Past experience includes working as a student chaplain at Scottish Rite Children's Hospital and as a camp counselor at Spring Heights Education Center in Spencer, W.Va.

"I'm very excited to be here and excited to get to know the community," Edmondson said.