Diocese of North Carolina Announces Joy Shillingsburg as New Mission Strategy Coordinator
The Diocese of North Carolina announces today that Joy Shillingsburg has accepted the position of diocesan mission strategy coordinator.
Shillingsburg comes to the position from St. John’s, Wake Forest, where she has served as the director of youth and outreach for more than a decade. Prior to serving at St. John’s, she spent 15 years as a classroom history teacher outside of Philadelphia and in the Wake County Public School System. Her commitment to teaching historical truths and how these truths have the power to liberate and transform our lives and society has been a through line of her work. At St. John’s, Shillingsburg led vibrant intergenerational programs that linked formation rooted in Becoming Beloved Community to vibrant outreach ministries. As an extension of her work as director of youth and outreach, Shillingsburg founded Wake Forest Community Table, a thriving nonprofit that has served more than 25,000 meals over the past three years and connected diverse members of the community to each other through quarterly gatherings that explore the history, laws, personal stories and systems that necessitate the twice-weekly meal distribution.
“Joy brings to this new position deep experience in project management and motivational leadership,” said the Rt. Rev. Sam Rodman, bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina. “She has a proven ability to connect the Church and the community outside its walls, and we are excited to see the connections she’ll help make possible on our journey to Becoming Beloved Community.”
The position is a new one in the Diocese. Following the development of the diocesan mission strategy throughout 2021-2022, it was decided that the position would be critical in assisting to bring together the grassroots, congregational and diocesan efforts that would move the mission strategy’s from vision to fruition.
In addition to the diocesan staff, Shillingsburg will collaborate with existing committees related to the mission strategy priorities, including the mission strategy coordinating committee, as well as Diocesan Council, churches across the Diocese and community partners. She will report to the Rt. Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson, assistant bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina.
“Beyond her solid experience and technical strategy management skills, Joy brings an infectious enthusiasm for relational work, collaboration and the missional priorities themselves,” said Brooke-Davidson. “She sees the points of intersection among them and, more importantly, has a gift for bringing out the Gospel best in people to move us toward Jesus’ vision of a loving, and beloved, community. I can hardly wait for everyone to meet her and launch ever more deeply into this work together.”
Shillingsburg begins her tenure June 21.
