Chesapeake Conference Directors Appointed to Lead Youth Programs

Story by Evan Knott

The Chesapeake Conference Executive Committee recently approved a reconfiguration of the conference’s Youth and Young Adult Ministries Department and the Children’s Ministries Department. The committee appointed two new directors: Kenia Reyes de Leon as Youth and Young Adult Ministries director and Shawn Paris as Camp Ministries and Missions director. Ann Reynolds will now serve exclusively as the Children’s Ministries director.

“The combined experience, unique skill sets and spiritual gifts of these three directors will be the catalyst for the growth and expansion of their respective ministries,” says Jerry Lutz, president.

Reyes de Leon comes to the conference from the World Headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Silver Spring, Md., where she has served as a senior editorial assistant in the Youth Ministries Department since 2019. During her time there, she also appeared as a TV host on Hope Channel’s Bible HelpDesk and as a regular anchor on Adventist News Network’s ANN World News.

Paris’ newly created position involves leading the conference’s summer camp ministry at the Mt. Aetna Retreat Center in Hagerstown, Md., and directing FLAG camps at church locations around the conference. Paris will also be responsible for overseeing conference mission trips.

Paris has pastored in the Chesapeake Conference since 2008, most recently as the pastor of the Willow Brook church in Boonsboro, Md. Paris previously served as the senior pastor of the Atholton church in Columbia, Md., and the youth pastor at the Spencerville church in Silver Spring, Md.

Paris says he believes the new configuration of these ministries will provide more opportunities to disciple young people. He says the goal is to find new ways to empower ministry at the local level by “putting the resources of the conference into the hands of the local congregation.”