Chelsea Hager came to Blue Ridge during her junior year of college, a time filled with a whirlwind of academics, friends, social activities and leadership roles. Yet, she was drawn to the idea of having a church family with different generations doing life together.
“It seemed to fit where I was, and I always felt welcome,” she said. “I felt like I wanted to make this church home while I was in Lynchburg.”
About that time, she heard a weekend message that challenged her. “If you want to get plugged in, you need to serve,” she remembered the pastor saying. “It had never dawned on me — that this applied to me. So I started praying about it…I strolled back to Kids Community and thought, ‘this is the most beautiful children's program. Families must love it here.’”
She submitted an application to serve there, and was interviewed by Peggy Schaub, the Children’s Ministry Director.
“She blew me away...just her enthusiasm for the gospel and for children. I thought, ‘If you're this passionate about the gospel for kids, I'm in.’”
After observing in several rooms, Chelsea felt most called to preschoolers and began serving there. She said she loved hearing the serving values of Blue Ridge and learning how to be “all in.”
“It's not about me. I started listening to values....I saw I really needed to follow them.”
About that time Chelsea, a women’s ministry major, also decided to become involved in Women’s Bible Study at Blue Ridge.
Soon, Chelsea graduated from college, chose to stay in Lynchburg and got a job here. Originally from Ohio, Chelsea found herself far from family. And many of her college friends moved away for work or family. Suddenly the roar of activity that had surrounded her for four years quieted — almost to a whisper.
Chelsea calls those months after graduation a wilderness. A lonely one.
But she was not without connection. She continued serving and getting to know her team in Kids Community. And her Women’s Bible Study leader, Dawn Emeigh, invited Chelsea to be a co-leader for a table that fall.
“She recognized leadership potential in me, which really built me up confidence wise.” Then, when Crash asked Women’s Bible Study for some leaders to support a summer study, Chelsea got connected there.
“I’m in a season of saying yes,” Chelsea said. “If there’s a movement of God happening, and He is allowing me to be involved, I need to say yes.”
These days, Chelsea finds herself surrounded again by community. Yet, she considers those lonely months a gift from her Father.
“He taught me to treasure those moments with only His voice and to appreciate community,” she said.
If you’d like to get connected through serving, check out opportunities here.