It's About Feeling Wanted & Needed

by Carrie Veal on September 17, 2022

beyond Belonging 

Fall Churchwide theme

Like most college students, I started my time at Stetson University looking for ways to be involved, make friends, and find my community. I went to a lot of different open houses, several events, and of course listened to what classmates were talking about.

It was when I went to the Wesley house, the Methodist campus ministry, that I felt like I had found my community. They were immediately asking me what my gifts were, what my interests were, and how I could use those gifts and interests to make it a better place. They wanted to know who I was and how we could enter into relationship together.

It wasn’t long before I realized that I had found myself in a community unlike any other I had ever experienced. It wasn’t that I just felt that I belonged there, but I felt like I was wanted AND needed. To me, this is what Beyond Belonging means. It means that when I’m not there, I know that I am truly missed. It means that what I bring to the community makes a difference. And that is what we are aiming for this fall at MPBC.

We want to hear from you about your gifts, your interests, your passions and we want to help you use them to get involved and engaged. We want to help you move beyond sitting in the pew to being an active, engaged, and involved member of the community. So how can we help you move from belonging to beyond?

About the Author

Carrie Veal

Though born in Tennessee, Carrie is a life-long University of Georgia Fan, Atlanta Braves fan and Duke Basketball Fan. Carrie joined the staff in May 2014, when called at Minister of Children. Over time, her role has expanded and while she still works with children and their families, she also has her fingers on the pulse of every ministry through her work with the Ministry of Community Life which works to connect people to one another and the church. 

Carrie spent her adolescence and college years in Florida where she swam competitively, attended Stetson University and discovered her love of church and calling to ministry. 

After graduating from the McAfee School of Theology in Atlanta, Carrie served First Baptist Gainesville (GA) and Morningside Baptist (Spartanburg, SC) where she grew as a minister and a human. Her arrival to MPBC brought her to a place that felt like coming home. 

In 2021, Carrie became a Certified Enneagram Approach Practitioner. The Enneagram has been vital to her ministry, her relationships and to her own personal growth.

In 2021 she also became a Certified Facilitator for Confronting Whiteness, the course written and designed by Dr. Boswell. Since the winter of 2021, Carrie has led 6 groups through the 9-week course. 

Carrie loves to cook and bake; host people at her home and create community. An avid reader, writer and true crime fan, Carrie invites you to coffee or wine, Mexican food, or a burger and fries anytime! 



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