Julie Boyer, Urban Ministries Coordinator

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Hi! My name is Julie Boyer, and I’ve been on staff here at ECC since 1997 and full time since 2001. I grew up in Washington State and came down to Tennessee in the fall of 1997 to attend college at Union University. I became involved in the After School Tutoring Ministry my first year and worked as a volunteer tutor/part time coordinator until graduation in 2001 when I joined the ECC ministry team full time.

With so many people moving out of the cities these days, I believe our “inner cities” are some of the most important places for Christians to remain.

As Urban Ministries Coordinator, I primarily work with outreach ministries to the community in Jackson, our Jerusalem. This involves: After School Tutoring, a ministry to elementary school students; J Step, a ministry to sixth grade students; J Crib, a ministry to urban teens; J Life, discipleship for urban teens; Summer Ministry, an outreach to urban students of all ages; and spending time encouraging families who find themselves in challenging situations. I am also blessed to work with other local ministries to ensure our students are given every opportunity in life to become the men and women Christ is calling them to be. My prayer is that all of them will one day be counted as “oaks of righteousness” in God’s Kingdom.

After many years, Jackson is now home to me (a fun discovery for the former Seattle girl)! Though I still find myself adjusting to the South, God continually encourages me through great friends, an amazing church, and an occasional run to Starbuck’s. I love hanging out with “my” urban students, and I find that they constantly challenge me to know Christ more. It’s amazing how kids can do that! I also love to hike, camp, and run marathons. In addition to these, one of the things I am most passionate about is traveling overseas and experiencing the diversity of other cultures and lands that God has created in this world.