New GR pastor comes with educational background

Pastor Jeff Chappell is a breath of fresh air for the congregation of the Green River Bible Baptist Church and Christian Academy, after being without a pastor for much of 2015.

Chappell brings an added bonus to the community with his combined religious and education background. Chappell taught fourth grade for six years at a private Christian school at his previous home in North Carolina. In 2013, Chappell moved to Salina, Utah, with his wife Julie and four children, where he volunteered as the assistant pastor for a church, was a teachers aide at a public school and coached kids soccer.

"God kind of gave us a desire to be a head pastor of a church and so that's when we started looking at other churches and ended up moving up here," Chappell said.

Chappell and his family have been living in Green River for over two weeks now.

"We're excited about it and it's definitely a big change from being a school teacher to being a pastor," he said. "...having a school here is really just a bonus for us because that's what our background is in."

Chappell plans to utilize his education experience to expand the church's Christian school. He hopes to eventually expand the school with more teachers, kids and grades offered. He would also like to see more technology used in the school. Chappell is currently building a website for the church, which will be launched in the near future.

To welcome the new pastor of the Green River Bible Baptist Church, the Green River community is invited for an open house and potluck lunch Sunday, Nov. 22 following the 11 a.m. worship service.

The community is welcome to tour the church and the Green River Christian Academy school facilities.

"I just want to invite people out this Sunday to come see the church and let them know we're here to serve the community again and to be of help any way we can," Chappell said. "...As a pastor, you're like a shepherd of the flock, so-to-speak and just caring for the people."