Welcome Jennifer Copeland as Executive Director

I’m exceptionally pleased to announce that the Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland has been named by the Council’s Governing Board to be the next Executive Director of the North Carolina Council of Churches. Jennifer has served as the United Methodist campus minister and executive director of the Wesley Fellowship at Duke University since 1999. (Pictured above, she’s on a spring break trip with students to Nome, Alaska. Jennifer is standing behind the orange sign.) A native of South Carolina, she earned BA, MDiv, and PhD degrees from Duke. Prior to coming to the campus ministry position, she pastored United Methodist churches in South Carolina for ten years.  She will start with the Council during the summer.

Steve Hickle, President of the Council, commented, “We are tremendously excited to welcome aboard Dr. Jennifer Copeland to be our executive director. The search committee was drawn to her perception of the council’s work, her ability to think analytically and theologically, and her vision for the future of the ecumenical movement. We are deeply grateful for her calling to share her gifts with The Council and our diverse people, congregations and judicatories.”

I am grateful to Steve Smith and Jocleen McCall, co-chairs, and all the members of the Search Committee. They have work tirelessly since I announced my retirement last September to bring this process to such a happy conclusion. I look forward to working with Jennifer to ensure a smooth time of transition, and I am excited to be leaving this wonderful organization in such capable hands.