Adults

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NRSV

“Christian Formation” (or spiritual formation) is the term we use at St. Paul’s to refer to the lifelong process of learning and growing in faith to be transformed by the character of Jesus Christ. We undertake this process to the glory of God and to benefit one another.

One way we learn and grow is through the various classes and groups offered during our Christian formation hour, which is from 9:15-10:15 on Sundays. You may hear the Christian formation hour referred to as Sunday school.

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  • Gretchen Hvastkovs

    Preschool Director

    Gretchen Hvastkovs

    Preschool Director

    Gretchen Hvastkovs grew up in California and attended college in Wyoming. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wyoming in Family and Consumer Sciences. After college, her family relocated to Connecticut before settling in Greenville. Gretchen and her husband are very active with their three children. Prior to moving into the director position, Gretchen was the lead teacher in the two year old room. She looks forward every day to playing, learning, and growing with St. Paul’s Preschool family.

  • The Rev’d Jen Houser, CoB

    Minister for Children, Youth, and Families

    The Rev’d Jen Houser, CoB

    Minister for Children, Youth, and Families

    Jen Houser grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, attending a nondenominational church where she sang on the worship team, volunteered in the nursery, and attended youth group regularly. Jen graduated from Messiah College (now University) near Harrisburg, PA with a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministries with a concentration in youth ministry and a minor in human development and family science. They graduated from Duke Divinity School with a Master’s of Divinity with a concentration in Christian Education. Jen married Zech in 2016 and they have moved all over the country from Pennsylvania to North Carolina to Indiana to Illinois and now back to North Carolina. Jen and Zech have a ten year old tortico cat named Molly. Jen is an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren (CoB) and has served as a pastor, children’s pastor, youth pastor, librarian, and an archivist.

  • The Rev’d Josiah Daniels

    Associate Rector

    The Rev’d Josiah Daniels

    Associate Rector

    Josiah was raised as a pastor’s kid in the Church of the Nazarene. Sensing a call to ministry early on, he studied theology, philosophy, and Greek at Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma City. He received his Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School in 2015; joined the Episcopal church at St. Peter’s (Charlotte) in 2016; and received his diploma of Anglican Studies from Virginia Theological Seminary in 2022. He was drawn to the Episcopal Church’s liturgy and its commitment to including those who are often excluded from the fullness of the Church’s life. Josiah and his wife, Riley Beetner, love listening to live music, spending time outside, and debating how many treats their 10-year-old rescue pup, Nilla, deserves.