Sandra Stinson
Connections Director
Life Story
I grew up in the country in Centre, Alabama, and I am one of five siblings. I was brought up in church from an early age until the church disbanded. While I was in the eighth grade attending a small school, students were asked if they went to church on Sunday, most all of my classmates raised their hands except me. I asked my father if we could go back to church, and we began attending a small Methodist church. At eighteen years old, I had reverence of God but realized something was missing in my life. I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and I was baptized in Spring Creek by my 80-year-old Pastor.
After my marriage in 1970 I moved to Rome and was blessed to have two children, Jason and Misty. I raised my children to always attend Church even if they were late coming home the night before, and made sure they were taught the Word of God, and to believe in Jesus Christ. I am blessed and proud to call Pastor Jason my son. As a baby, the pastor at my church, Hopewell Methodist, used to call him “little preacher man.” Little did I know at that time, it was a word of prophecy. I realized he was called into ministry when he was in college and served as the student leader at our church. I am blessed with four grandchildren and I continuously seek to make good memories with them. I strive to be the example of a Godly woman and represent the heart of Christ with my grandchildren. I always want them to see their Nana praying, reading the Bible and daily devotions, when we have sleepovers, often I might add.
My daughter, Misty, passed away October 1997 at 18 years old, from injuries from an automobile accident that resulted in two fatalities. After 3 long months of struggling with grief and trying to rebuild my life I heard about a World Wide Support Group called The Compassionate Friends. I, along with two other bereaved moms, attended our first meeting in Atlanta. This sparked us to begin meeting on our own. I co-founded the Northwest Georgia chapter of Compassionate Friends in Rome and Nov. 1998 we received our 501-3-C non profit status and Charter. Compassionate Friends delivers comfort and support, provides a way for family members to positively cope with the loss of a child of any age, and guides them in helping others who are grieving. Monthly meetings are held second Thursday at 6pm at LIFE CHURCH. Every year second Sunday in December, we hold a candlelight Memorial at LIFE CHURCH where candles are lit in memory of loved ones who’ve passed. Compassionate Friends in Rome is one of 650 chapters within the United State. In the last 25 years, I have served as Georgia’s Regional Coordinator two different times and help start other Chapters in Ga. I have served as Facilitator, Newsletter editor, Chapter Leader and other various positions. I’ve attended and participated in National Conferences in Tennessee, Washington DC, Georgia, Florida, California and Virginia. In 2012, I received the highest honor for an individual chapter, National Chapter Leadership Award, in Los Angeles, California. My heart and passion continues to be to help those who are hurting and help them with grieving in a positive way.
Despite all the grief, challenges, and struggles in my life, I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves us. Throughout my walk in Christ, I have been dedicated to extend the love of Christ to others by loving and serving God and others in various roles in the church: nursery, preschool, Children’s Sunday School Teacher, Vacation Bible School Teacher, Teenage Girls Sunday School Teacher, Women’s Sunday School Teacher, Church Choir, Usher, Greeter, and First Responder, as well as coordinating volunteers and serving opportunities.
Now I am the Life Connections Director at Life Church. I am honored to get to know others and their stories and help them identify their passion. I assist others with using their spiritual gifts, passion, and talents to be more like Jesus, loving and serving God and others at church, in our community and the world around us.
Additionally, I am the leader of the Women’s Life Group, which meets at Life Church on Tuesday at 6pm. We are a diverse, multigenerational group of women who study Biblical Truth, discuss spiritual topics, and extend the love of Christ to each other.
After my marriage in 1970 I moved to Rome and was blessed to have two children, Jason and Misty. I raised my children to always attend Church even if they were late coming home the night before, and made sure they were taught the Word of God, and to believe in Jesus Christ. I am blessed and proud to call Pastor Jason my son. As a baby, the pastor at my church, Hopewell Methodist, used to call him “little preacher man.” Little did I know at that time, it was a word of prophecy. I realized he was called into ministry when he was in college and served as the student leader at our church. I am blessed with four grandchildren and I continuously seek to make good memories with them. I strive to be the example of a Godly woman and represent the heart of Christ with my grandchildren. I always want them to see their Nana praying, reading the Bible and daily devotions, when we have sleepovers, often I might add.
My daughter, Misty, passed away October 1997 at 18 years old, from injuries from an automobile accident that resulted in two fatalities. After 3 long months of struggling with grief and trying to rebuild my life I heard about a World Wide Support Group called The Compassionate Friends. I, along with two other bereaved moms, attended our first meeting in Atlanta. This sparked us to begin meeting on our own. I co-founded the Northwest Georgia chapter of Compassionate Friends in Rome and Nov. 1998 we received our 501-3-C non profit status and Charter. Compassionate Friends delivers comfort and support, provides a way for family members to positively cope with the loss of a child of any age, and guides them in helping others who are grieving. Monthly meetings are held second Thursday at 6pm at LIFE CHURCH. Every year second Sunday in December, we hold a candlelight Memorial at LIFE CHURCH where candles are lit in memory of loved ones who’ve passed. Compassionate Friends in Rome is one of 650 chapters within the United State. In the last 25 years, I have served as Georgia’s Regional Coordinator two different times and help start other Chapters in Ga. I have served as Facilitator, Newsletter editor, Chapter Leader and other various positions. I’ve attended and participated in National Conferences in Tennessee, Washington DC, Georgia, Florida, California and Virginia. In 2012, I received the highest honor for an individual chapter, National Chapter Leadership Award, in Los Angeles, California. My heart and passion continues to be to help those who are hurting and help them with grieving in a positive way.
Despite all the grief, challenges, and struggles in my life, I am more than a conqueror through Him who loves us. Throughout my walk in Christ, I have been dedicated to extend the love of Christ to others by loving and serving God and others in various roles in the church: nursery, preschool, Children’s Sunday School Teacher, Vacation Bible School Teacher, Teenage Girls Sunday School Teacher, Women’s Sunday School Teacher, Church Choir, Usher, Greeter, and First Responder, as well as coordinating volunteers and serving opportunities.
Now I am the Life Connections Director at Life Church. I am honored to get to know others and their stories and help them identify their passion. I assist others with using their spiritual gifts, passion, and talents to be more like Jesus, loving and serving God and others at church, in our community and the world around us.
Additionally, I am the leader of the Women’s Life Group, which meets at Life Church on Tuesday at 6pm. We are a diverse, multigenerational group of women who study Biblical Truth, discuss spiritual topics, and extend the love of Christ to each other.