DENVER, Colo./ ELKHART, Ind. (DOOR/Mennonite Mission Network) — A long-time DOOR staff member, Krista Dutt, has concluded her service with DOOR (Discovering Opportunities for Outreach and Reflection) in January.
In her 10 years with DOOR, Dutt has served as DOOR Chicago city director and as DOOR national program director. As city director, Dutt oversaw DOOR’s programs in Chicago—Discover, Dwell, and Discern.
Through the weeklong Discover program, she hosted an average of 725 youth and college service participants per year. She also guided 21 young adults through the yearlong Dwell program, helping them see God’s call in their lives. In her role as national program director, Dutt helped shape all of DOOR’s programs, providing a pastoral touch to program procedures. She was especially influential in shifting the Discern program from focusing on hiring summer staff to a program focusing on leadership and faith development year-round.
Reflecting on her time at DOOR, Dutt said, “I believe in the power of DOOR. From those lightbulb [moments] that I have witnessed in Discover groups, to the power of having local leaders teach about their own city and neighborhoods with Discern, and the lifetime commitments to live intentionally in Dwell. I have witnessed the change that our programs can induce.”
DOOR thanks Dutt for her years of dedicated service and wishes her well in her next venture working with Mennonite Central Committee Great Lakes as a program associate for Chicago and Church Relations director for Illinois.
Andrea Sawyer-Kirksey
Download full-resolution image.Andrea Sawyer-Kirksey took on the role of DOOR Chicago city director on Jan. 21. She has been serving as the Chicago assistant city director since May 2013.
In that time, one of Sawyer-Kirksey’s major focuses has been the Discern program, increasing the size and scope of the program to include working with a core group of local Chicago young adults year-round in leadership development and discernment activities.
“As city director, I get to continue this great work, and also imagine and create new ways to help address some of the growing needs and issues addressing our city,” said Sawyer-Kirksey. “I look forward to many years of working to help others see that God is alive and at work here in Chicago.”
Sawyer-Kirksey is also an experienced cross-cultural lecturer and urban studies program educator with Mission Year, Chicago Semester, and Loyola University.
“I am excited to be in this new role of Chicago city director,” said Sawyer-Kirksey. “I believe DOOR offers three great programs that help transform the lives of young adults, from around the country as well as youth from Chicago.”
Michelle Muñiz-Vega
Download full-resolution image.DOOR is pleased to announce the hiring of Michelle Muñiz-Vega as the DOOR Miami city director. She comes from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Prior coming to DOOR she received a bachelor’s degree in advertising, with a minor in telecommunications. Following graduation she worked for four years as a video journalist at a local newspaper.
In September 2013, Muñiz-Vega moved to Miami and served as a Dweller through the Young Adult Volunteer Program of Presbyterian Church USA.
“I worked with Discover groups during my last months as a Dweller,” said Muñiz-Vega. “I found myself leading them to redefine a concept I had to redefine for myself during that year: service. I reflected on my call in a deeper way and I knew this experience was a turning point in my professional life.”
After her year in Miami, Muñiz-Vega returned to Puerto Rico for several months. She stopped looking for jobs, and instead rested, reflected, and got involved in ministry at her home church. Muñiz-Vega has been involved in youth ministry, not only in her local church, but in other roles in the Presbyterian Church throughout Puerto Rico.
“I take on this responsibility with a lot of respect,” she said. “Guiding others on their journey can be very complicated and challenging. There’s a lot for me to learn. I hope to be a bridge to others in a city that taught me so much about doing ministry in a different way.”
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For immediate release
Mennonite Mission Network, the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA, leads, mobilizes and equips the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Media may contact news@mennonitemission.net.
