After a while of not writing about people, I interviewed the Adams-Wilsons, Jake and Sarah Jo, who are the new pastors of the Decatur United Methodist Church. It was good to get to know this young couple and to feel their love for God and ample appreciation for the people of Decatur.
by L. Agnes Russell
Jake Wilson and Sarah Jo Adams met while he was serving as pastor of Alta Woods United Methodist Church in the Jackson area, and Sarah Jo was working with the children and youth there while she still attended college. After working together for about two and a half years, they “began to notice each other and build a friendship,” Jake recalled. Their relationship continued long distance as she attended Duke Divinity School in North Carolina, before they were married May 26, 2012. They explained to me that they each took the other’s name, to combine the two, showing the way the two families are combined to make a new one.
Jake was born in Vicksburg, Aug. 30, 1982. His father, John Wilson, worked as a civil engineer for Entergy, so they moved around in Mississippi, living once in Texas. His mother Christy Wilson was a teacher, and Jake was the oldest of four children. He graduated from Hancock County High School on the Mississippi Coast in 2001.
Having earned a degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies from Millsaps College in 2005, he went on to receive his Master of Divinity degree from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, Illinois, in 2008. When Sarah Jo was at Duke, he earned another Master of Theology degree. At Millsaps, his roommate invited him to go to his Methodist church, and he went and liked it. Jake said, “As a Religious Studies major, I learned more about John Wesley, the Founder of Methodism, and I attended Galloway United Methodist Church in Jackson.” He continued, “The church was leading me spiritually, and I was discerning that God was calling me to help people through the United Methodist Church as it had helped me. It was a gradual process.”
Jake had been baptized as a baby in the Methodist church, as the family was attending his father’s church at that time. He shared with me that he had a “salvation experience” in the Baptist Church, when he was about ten years old. He remembered, “I felt the preacher was talking right to me.” His father, who passed away very unexpectedly about three weeks ago, had a charismatic conversion experience in the 70s. Obviously, Jake was reared in a Christian home, and he told me, “My Baptist family was supportive of my joining and serving in the Methodist Church.”
Born in Waynesboro in 1988, about six years after Jake, Sarah Jo Adams just had a birthday on November 18. The family moved before she attended kindergarten to Petal, Mississippi, which Sarah Jo calls home. Her father, Joe Adams from Pensacola, was a church musician, who played the organ in church. She said of her father, who passed away last year, “He was very meek, humble, and gentle, and marched to the beat of his own drum.” Jake added, “He was the sweetest man I’ve ever known.” Sarah Jo’s mother, Chris Adams, had corporate jobs earlier, but now is a volunteer coordinator for the United Methodist Church in disaster recovery.
Sarah Jo graduated from Petal High School in 2007, earned her degrees in Political Science and Art History from Millsaps College, in 2011. She then attended Duke Divinity School, where she earned a Masters of Divinity in 2014.
She was reared in a Christian home, having been baptized as a baby, and called herself “a cradle Methodist.” She shared, “I feel thankful that church was always a safe and affirming place for me. I felt God was always loving toward me. God’s love was made real to me. I felt gently loved and nurtured, and deeply tied to a local church.”
Before their marriage, Jake served at Alta Woods United Methodist Church, then New Covenant UMC. After their marriage, he was Associate Pastor of Starkville First UMC. Sarah Jo served Longview and Adaton United Methodist Churches, two rural churches in the Starkville area. They both explained that they had enjoyed their times in other places but were excited to be serving together for the first time in Decatur. As they consulted with Bishop James Swanson of the Mississippi Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, they shared with him their desires, and he evidently was able to place them where those desires have been quite satisfied.
Having served in a larger college town church, for six years, Jake commented, “You can only go top speed for so long.” He concluded, “Decatur is perfect.” Sarah Jo said, “I wanted to be in a community where you could get to know people, go to Friday night football games. We wanted a church that felt active and healthy.” She continued, “This church is very healthy. There are lots of young families with energy and willingness to be in ministry.” She also shared, “I am Director of the Wesley Foundation on the East Central Community College campus, and I love it.”
Speaking of them having been assigned here, Jake said, “The Holy Spirit works in the process.” Sarah Jo added, “We have only had wonderful appointments, so we have no reason not to trust the work of the Holy Spirit.” They are co-pastors and support each other in whatever they decide to do in the ministry. Presently, Jake works with the children and Sarah Jo with the youth, but they will probably switch in the spring. They moved into the parsonage June 23, 2020, and at first, they took turns preaching on Sundays. They gave October to Jake and Sarah Jo now preaches every Sunday in November.
Jake told me of one of the church’s outreaches that he really appreciates. He said, “We have had a really active food pantry thing going on here during Covid, and I’m proud of that. There is a food box and a little refrigerator on the porch of the old parsonage.” He explained that anyone can come take some of the food, if they are in need.
Concerning special memories, they agreed that their marriage is at the top of the list, and Jake spoke of how they have experienced, “God’s provision in good seasons and bad seasons.” Sarah Jo remembered how she saw the Holy Spirit move in a special way in a church where her congregation felt led to pray for a young man concerning his call to ministry.
Though I called them Sarah Jo and Jake and felt my age and their youth, it is obvious they have worked and prayed and studied their way into earning the designated title of Reverends Jake and Sarah Jo Adams-Wilson and into the hearts of their people in Decatur.
Live for Jesus! He’s coming soon! You may contact me at lagnesrussell@gmail.com or 601-635-3282.
