When God calls…..
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Pastor Chip Strickland (Islander photo)
By Pamela Permar Shierling
When God calls, it seems one must eventually answer.
“God worked on me for several years before He finally won and I entered the ministry.”
W.A. Strickland Jr., better known as Chip, worked with his father Billy at their hydraulic and industrial hose business in Brunswick. It was a good life. But God called, Chip resisted, then listened, and now he has a dream assignment.
Pastor Chip Strickland began his second week Monday (Aug. 24) as the new Executive Vice President of Spiritual Development at Epworth by the Sea.
Carlos Cantu, President and CEO of Epworth, is very excited to have Chip on board.
“We need a chaplain at Epworth,” Cantu said. “After all our founder Bishop Arthur J. Moore was a preacher as well as a Bishop of the Methodist Church.”
Chip considers his role as chaplain to the Epworth staff his primary duty.
“I want to be there for the staff spiritually and emotionally,” Chip said. “I am there to help them through life’s journey.”
Chip, born and raised in Brunswick, entered the ministry in the fall of 1996 as Youth Minister at St. Simons United Methodist Church.
“Dave Hanson interviewed me and hired me as youth minister,” Chip said.
Prior to that he was member of College Place Methodist Church and worked with the youth, helped with the sound for the church and anything else they wanted him to do.
“It simply became my passion to serve and to share Christ,” he said.
In 1997 he was licensed to preach and was appointed associated pastor at St. Simons United Methodist.
In 2001 he was ordained as a deacon in the church and in 2004 ordained as an elder.
Chip graduated from Emory in 2002 with a Masters of Divinity. He worked at Mulberry Street United Methodist Church in Macon as associate pastor and commuted to Emory.
“The drive from Macon to Atlanta was a lot easier then,” he smiled.
“When I finally accepted my call to the ministry, my family was in complete support of my decision,” he said.
He did admit he was a bit afraid to tell his wife, Tris, of his decision.
“When I told her she said she knew all along that it was just a matter of time before I decided to enter the ministry. She knew me better than I knew myself,” he said.
Chip and Tris will celebrate 39 years of marriage in September, have two grown children and one grandchild.
Chip’s years of service have taken him and his family to five Georgia churches.
Before coming home to Brunswick Chip served at Guyton United Methodist Church from 2003-2010; Kingsland First Methodist Church for five years; Macon’s Riverside United Methodist Church for three years; Brooklet United Methodist Church for six years; and Brunswick First United Methodist Church for two years.
Methodist ministers are appointed every year by the Bishop. When the Epworth appointment came, the decision to leave Brunswick First Methodist was a tough one. It’s sometimes hard to choose between two things you love doing. His love of Epworth was a deciding factor.
“Epworth has always been sacred to me,” Chip said. “It is cloistered, peaceful. It is a different world.”
“While I am mainly here for the staff, I am also here for the guests. The fun part of my job is meeting new people,” he said.
“Epworth is holy. You can get to know Christ here, and that is a life changing experience,” he said.
Chip’s plans for Epworth are to expand his duties for the future. “I want more people to have a life changing experience here.”
The history of Epworth is varied. Many peoples have lived there including the Guale, the British, Spaniards, and then it became Hamilton Plantation which exported cotton and timber.
After the Civil War the plantation transitioned to a lumber mill.
In 1949 the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church purchased a portion of the old Hamilton Plantation and the Center has grown to 80 plus acres.
Over 400 groups including 150,000 to 160,000 people stay at Epworth annually. Groups who stay at Epworth are church groups, non-profit groups, or civic groups.
“Bishop Moore’s vision of Epworth was a holy place,” Chip said.
“I plan to hold Bible studies and devotions with the staff. We honor every story here. Lifelong relationships are built between the guests and staff.”
Chip also conducts a 30 minute service every Sunday at Lovely Lane Chapel starting at 8:45. Both he and Carlos stressed that the community is very welcome to attend this service.
“My goal is for us all to become family,” Chip said.
