Memorial Church, 101 S. Hess St., Quarryville, recently welcomed Dave Coryell as its new lead pastor. As the church undergoes multiple large changes, Coryell said he looks forward to connecting with congregation members and assisting with its youth ministry program in his role.
Coryell has been actively involved in various youth ministries for several years, traveling to more than 50 countries to train pastors, church leaders and youth workers over the course of his career. Coryell is a graduate of Messiah University, and he began serving as a youth pastor while he earned a Master of Divinity from Evangelical Seminary. After helping establish a youth ministry program at a United Methodist Church in Elizabethtown, Coryell got involved with Arrow Leadership Program to offer Christian ministry training.
In 2007, Coryell became the executive director of Christian Endeavor, an organization that provides training resources, educational materials and other forms of support for churches, pastors and youth groups. In 2016, Coryell transitioned to a role serving as the general secretary for the global ministry, and he continues to travel four to five times a year for Christian Endeavor training programs.
Coryell first heard about the open position at Memorial Church after he was contacted by the church's district superintendent. The congregation was experiencing difficulty finding a pastor who suited its theology, as it is currently in the process of disaffiliating from the United Methodist Church. Coryell discussed the opportunity with his wife, and he decided to meet members of the church to see if he would be a good fit. Upon visiting Memorial Church, Coryell discovered his former student Eddie Adams served as its associate pastor. "I got to know Eddie as a student, so it was exciting to see he was in that role," Coryell said. "He said he was willing to serve under my leadership. I see us as a team, and we've been working together since I started."
One of Coryell's goals is to change the way the world views youth ministry. Most youth ministries are led by adults, but Coryell said he hopes to help shift the leadership to the younger generations. "We want to turn the keys over to young people so it can become youth in ministry," added Coryell. "That way the youth have an opportunity to exercise the skills and abilities God has given them."
As a native of Berks County, Coryell said he's excited to be back in a rural Pennsylvanian community similar to the one he grew up in. Coryell added that the members of Memorial Church have given him a warm welcome since he officially started as its lead pastor in January. "It's been so much fun to get to know them," said Coryell. "It's such a caring, loving group of people; they are just so kind."
For more information, visit https://quarryville.church.
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