Melissa Cooper
Melissa Cooper is Program Coordinator at Life Enrichment Center in Fruitland Park, Florida. Follow her on Twitter @revmelissa or check out her blog (revcooper.com). Melissa created Leader Guide content for re:form Traditions and Ancestors. Her desired Youth Ministry superpower is the same one every youth minister desires...the ability to capture the full attention of a junior high boy, just once.
Theological training: Master of Theological Studies from Boston University School of Theology
Family: Married to Will, no kids, just a kitty named Harriet
Voted the re:form contributor most likely to: Rig a sailboat, hold a snake, make s’mores, get stung by jellyfish, and drive a bus all in the same day…and get to call it ministry.
3 words that describe you: Idealistic | Passionate | Hungry
3 words that describe sparkhouse: Relevant | Outside-the-box | Anti-curriculum-tastic
3 songs on your iPod: One Day by Matisyahu, Doubting Thomas by Nickel Creek, Blessed To Be a Witness by Ben Harper
Which Ancestor do you identify with? Simon Peter, the earnest blockhead. I feel like I always have the best of intentions, but so often I get wrapped up in my own plans and ideas that I miss a word from the Lord in the midst of my efforts.
Dinner Guest: It may be cliché, but C.S. Lewis, hands down.
Essentials for a youth lock-in…on a desert island: marshmallows, water guns, duct tape
A favorite theologian quote: If we let Him — for we can prevent Him, if we choose — He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, a dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)
A favorite pop culture quote: Live every week like it’s Shark Week. (Tracy Jordan on 30 Rock)
If your Sunday school teacher knew you’d be creating sparkhouse resources, what would she say? When I was in the sixth grade, my Sunday School teacher frequently didn’t show up, and we precocious youngsters still did a lesson ourselves, so she probably wouldn’t be too surprised.