Twenty-eight young adults from 24 Episcopal Church dioceses will be serving as missionaries in the Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) for the 2013-2014 term in locales throughout the Anglican Communion, including 19 new ministries.

This year’s group of missionaries boasts the largest number of YASC volunteers ever, including three returnees as well as two representing Province IX for the first time in the program.

YASC is a ministry for Episcopal young adults, ages 21 – 30, who are interested in exploring their faith in new ways by living and serving in communities around the Anglican Communion.

The Rev. David Copley, Mission Personnel Officer, noted that while the day-to-day duties of each placement vary, the experiences of the YASCers are life-changing.  “YASC brings young adults into the life of the worldwide Anglican Communion and into the daily work of a local community,” he explained.

“YASC offers young adults an opportunity to live out their Baptismal Covenant by seeking and serving Christ in people all around God’s world,” commented Elizabeth Boe, Global Networking Officer.

Each YASCer maintains a blog, detailing their service, reflections and adventures. Boe, a former YASC volunteer who served in Tanzania, reported that blogs provide an ideal means for connecting with others in the Episcopal Church and around the world.

Meet the YASCers

Primarily working in administration, communication, education, and development, the 28 YASC missionaries, their home dioceses, assignments and blog addresses are:

Zachary Baker, Diocese of Michigan

Serving in the Diocese of Haiti, Zachary is a teacher and administrative assistant at the Bishop Tharp Institute, Les Cayes. zacharyinhaiti.blogspot.com

Emily Barker, Dioceses of Nebraska and New York

Serving in Cape Town in the Anglican Province of Southern Africa, Emily is a project and administrative assistant at HOPE Africa. theysolovedtheworld.blogspot.com

Ashley Bingaman, Diocese of Virginia

Serving in the Diocese of Haiti for a second year, Ashley is a music teacher at the Holy Trinity Music School, Port-au-Prince.  In the fall of 2013 she will be the music program development assistant in Cap-Haitien.  Ashley is the first YASC missionary to be placed in Haiti after the January 2010 earthquake. ashleybingaman.blogspot.com

Nina Boe, Diocese of Olympia

Serving in the Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil, Nina works as a communication and project assistant to the Provincial Secretary in São Paulo. This is Nina’s second year in this position, and she is the first YASC placement in the Brazilian Provincial Office.  ninaboe.blogspot.com

Sean Brown, Diocese of Hawaii

Serving in Japan, Sean is a volunteer at the Asian Rural Institute, Nasushiobara. pilgrimsascending.blogspot.com

Will Bryant, Diocese of Western North Carolina

Serving in Western Kowloon, Hong Kong, Will is a chaplaincy assistant at the Mission to Seafarers. willbryantyasc.blogspot.com

Julia Burd, Diocese of Pennsylvania

Serving in the Diocese of Haiti, Julia is an English teacher at the School of Nursing Science, Leogane. nogreatthingshaiti.blogspot.com

Ashley Cameron, Diocese of Virginia

Serving in the Diocese of Santiago, Philippines, Ashley is a development assistant at the Episcopal Development Foundation of St. Mark, Santiago City. ashleyecameron.blogspot.com

Rachel Carter, Diocese of East Carolina

Serving in Panama, Rachel is a teaching assistant in history and a social outreach assistant at St. Christopher’s Episcopal School, Panama City. rachelcarter2.blogspot.com

Margaret Clinch, Diocese of Southern Ohio

Serving in the Episcopal Church in the Philippines, Margaret is a teaching assistant. serviceandstories.blogspot.com

Paul Daniels, Diocese of North Carolina

Serving in the Diocese of Grahamstown, South Africa, Paul is a student minister at the Cathedral Church of St. Michael and St. George in Grahamstown. undiscoveredbrother.blogspot.com

Maurice Dyer, Diocese of El Camino Real

Serving in the Diocese of Grahamstown, South Africa, Maurice is an Assistant Teacher at the Holy Cross School in Grahamstown. mauricedyer.blogspot.com

Charlotte File, Diocese of Indianapolis

Serving in the Diocese of Yokohama, Japan, Charlotte is an education and international exchange program assistant at the Kiyosato Educational Experiment Project, Kiyosato. cfile-yasc.blogspot.com

Heidi Galagan, Diocese of Wyoming

Serving in the Diocese of Central Taganyika, Tanzania, Heidi is a primary school teacher at Canon Andrea Mwaka School, Dodoma. teachprayserve.blogspot.com

Keri Geiger, Diocese of Virginia

Serving in the Diocese of False Bay, South Africa, Keri is a home-based care and support group facilitator at the Overstrand Care Center, Hawston. untotheendsoftheearth.blogspot.com

Becky Gleason, Diocese of San Diego

Serving in the Diocese of Honduras, Becky is a counselor and teacher at El Spiritu Santo Bilingual School, Tela. beckygleason.blogspot.com

Jared Grant, Diocese of Western North Carolina

In 2012, Jared served in the Diocese of Lesotho in the Anglican Province of Southern Africa, working as communication assistant at St. James Mission Hospital, Mantsonyane. This was the first time there had been a YASC placement in Lesotho.  In 2013, Jared is serving in the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe as assistant coordinator at the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center in Rome.  jaredgrantyasc.blogspot.com

Claire Harkey, Diocese of Mississippi

Serving in the Diocese of Honduras, Claire is a counselor at El Buen Pastor Bilingual School, San Pedro Sula. claireharkey.blogspot.com

Andrew Joyce, Diocese of Kentucky

Serving in the Diocese of the Northern Philippines, Andrew worked at the Tadian Learning Center and Demonstration Farm. In the fall of 2013, he will begin a second year in Tadian and support another farm in Saytan, La Union.  Andrew is the first YASCer to serve in this ministry. andrewwjoyce.wordpress.com

Sara Lowery, Diocese of Alabama

Serving in the Diocese of Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, Sara is a mission intern at the Mission for Migrant Workers. forjusticeandpeace.blogspot.com

Joel Martinez, Diocese of the Dominican Republic

Serving in the Reformed Episcopal Church of Spain, Joel is a mission assistant in Madrid.  He is one of two YASCers to represent Province IX for the first time in the program.   iglepidom-joel.blogspot.com

Joseph Morin, Diocese of West Texas

Serving in the Diocese of Panama, Joseph is a mission assistant with the Diocese of Panama, Panama City. joseph-mission.blogspot.com

Nederlandn Paulino Sanchez, Diocese of the Dominican Republic

Serving in the Diocese of Taiwan, Ned is a mission assistant at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Taipei. He is one of two YASCers to represent Province IX for the first time in the program.  ned-news.blogspot.com

Will Pendleton, Diocese of New Hampshire

Serving in the Episcopal Church of Cuba, Will is a mission assistant in Cardenas. PendletonYASC.blogspot.com

Hannah Perls, Diocese of Olympia

Serving in the Diocese of El Salvador, Hannah is the assistant to the executive director of Fundacion Cristosal, San Salvador. hannahperls.blogspot.com

Carlin Van Schaik, Diocese of Northwest Texas

Serving in the Diocese of Seoul, South Korea, Carlin is an intern at Towards Peace in Korea (TOPIK), Seoul. cmvanschaik.blogspot.com

Katie Webb, Diocese of Dallas

Serving in the Hong Kong Anglican Church, Katie is a provincial archives assistant. jkatiewebb.blogspot.com

Alan Yarborough, Diocese of Western North Carolina and Upper South Carolina

Serving in the Diocese of Haiti, Alan is a development assistant in Cange. manypartsonebody.blogspot.com

All the blogs are here: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/content/blogs/yasc

The Episcopal Church: www.episcopalchurch.org

YASC: https://test.episcopalchurch.org/ministries/global-partnerships/young-adult-service-corps/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/episcopalian

Twitter: twitter.com/iamepiscopalian,

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The 2013-2014 Episcopal Church Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) gathered in June for missionary orientation along with four current Episcopal Church missionaries. From left, front row: Ashley Cameron, Heidi Galagan, Margaret Clinch, Carlin Van Schaik, Claire Harkey, Becky Gleason. Back row from left: Joseph Morin, Paul Daniels, Sean Brown, Will Bryant, Tom Wilson (missionary in El Salvador), Diane Wilson (missionary in El Salvador), Will Pendleton, Sara Lowery, Alan Yarborough, Hannah Perls, Pierre Gabaud (missionary in Haiti), Rachel Carter, Charlotte File, Zachary Baker, Katie Webb, Emily Barker, Julie Burd, Keri Geiger, Dan Tootle (missionary in Haiti), Maurice Dyer. Not pictured are 2013-2014 YASCers Nederlandn Paulino Sanchez and Joel Martinez.