In January, Dustin Jernigan joined the community as the new lead pastor of Jacksonville Presbyterian Church. “We had never heard of Jacksonville, Oregon,” says Dustin when telling the story of how he and his wife, Caroline, found themselves visiting on a miraculously clear day this past September. The church’s search committee had prayed for the smoke to clear on the day the Jernigans visited town so they could see the area’s natural beauty. Their prayers were answered as blue skies were once again visible in the Rogue Valley. “We were just so impressed with the stunning town. It was like Mayberry in the mountains” said Dustin. The Jernigans were impressed by the hiking trails, the local GoodBean Coffee shop, and the friendly community. They were also excited to learn that their disabled son could receive excellent therapy in nearby Medford.

“Hey y’all” is the greeting you may hear from Dustin, and you may even catch his slight Southern accent. He and Caroline hail from a Presbyterian church in Montreat, North Carolina which is famous for being the home of Billy & Ruth Graham. Dustin had not planned to be a pastor as an undergraduate student majoring in English and political science at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). In fact, he was a year into a graduate business program when he felt the call of ministry. He eventually earned a Master of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary and is now a doctoral student at Samford University.

Jacksonville already feels like home to the Jernigans, and they are looking forward to raising their family here. They were able to find a rental home in town, and are thankful to live in a community that allows them to walk into town. Laughter and singing can be heard at their home as Caroline currently home schools their two daughters, Julip (9) and Eloise (6). The girls plan to enroll at Logos Charter School in the fall, and Dustin and Caroline hope Levi (4) will attend Jacksonville Elementary School as part of their MAPS program.

Dustin is honored and humbled as he steps into the role of lead pastor at Jacksonville Presbyterian Church. He looks forward to continuing the church’s long history of community involvement and service. “As a pastor, I’m called to be faithful to God’s Word and to the grace of Jesus Christ,” he says. His vision is to share God’s love and grace by both word and deed. And because he is the parent of a child with a disability, he desires to reach out to other families who have children with disabilities. This spring, then, the church will be hosting a Special Needs Easter Egg Hunt on April 13th. This event is just for the special needs classrooms at Jacksonville Elementary School, but Dustin hopes to expand it in the future.

Jacksonville Presbyterian Church also desires to encourage the Jacksonville business community after the stressful fire seasons they have weathered. Dustin will be sending out letters asking for prayer requests from each business and shop owner in town as the next fire season approaches. The church will host a prayer service on June 2 to pray for God’s protection for the local shops as well as our first responders. The community is welcome to join. Dustin looks forward to loving and serving the community he now calls home.

Submitted by Michele Moir, Pastoral Secretary, Jacksonville Presbyterian Church.