Melissa A. Upchurch

I was born in and grew up in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and am a lifelong Presbyterian. After graduating high school I went to the University of Arkansas, where I earned a bachelor of arts degree in journalism. After graduation I worked first in newspapers, then in corporate writing. I spent 14 years with Electronic Data Systems (EDS) Corp. primarily as a technical writer and editor in its Finance organization before sensing a call to seminary. In the fall of 2004 I began my seminary education at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology. I am still a student there but the hours are counting down and I expect to graduate in May of 2010.

Part of my education involves serving in a parish as an intern and part of my education involves serving in a hospital as a student chaplain. These experiences are designed to help students discern their sense of call. I am listening closely to what my intern experience has to teach me. And I am most thankful every day that St. Barnabas is my teaching congregation.

I enjoy my four cats Chicklet, Nixie, Jazebel and Delilah, who make life a three-ring circus! As a child of the 60s, musically I like anything from that time all the way up to about the B-52’s. I enjoy puns and will guffaw unabashedly when I hear a good one!