Lewis Memorial gets pastor
In less than two weeks, members at Lewis Memorial United Methodist Church in Evans will welcome a new senior pastor who has 28 years of experience in the ministry.
The Rev. Chip Wilson will begin his term as senior pastor of Lewis Memorial United Methodist Church on June 23 .
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On June 23, the Rev. Chip Wilson, a former senior pastor at Washington First United Methodist Church in Washington, Ga., will be greeted by members at the church at 5555 Hereford Farm Road.
"It's a good move for us," said Wilson, who served seven years at his previous church. "(My family) is really excited. I'm looking forward to being in the Augusta area with the community.''
Wilson said he is eager to accept his new appointment, which was assigned by the Bishop of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.
"My goal is to come and listen to the church, assess the needs, preach the gospel and try to reach out to a growing community," he said.
Although Wilson and his family already spend a lot of time shopping and dining in Augusta, the transition to a new church always brings "mixed emotions," he said.
"You have excitement and the nervousness of a new appointment," he said. "You also have the grief of leaving the friends, families and relationships you've had here. But you say your good-byes, and give God thanks for what he has done. You look forward to new opportunities."
Wilson has a bachelor's degree in business administration in management from Georgia State University in Atlanta. He also has a basic unit of clinical pastoral education from Georgia Baptist Medical Center and a Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University.
He is married to Pam Wilson, who is a director of Christian education. They have two children. Emily is a rising freshman who will be attending the University of Georgia in the fall, and Chris is a junior at Georgia Southern University.