In July 2025, as I made the transition from Content Writer to Director of Communications, Emily Wilton took on the position of Content Coordinator. In this role she coordinates the Digest and NEWSpirit while also continuing to support Breakthrough, EPA & GNJ’s worship series starters.  

This week I sat down with her to chat to learn about how she’s thinking about her role, now that she has two months under her belt, and to formally introduce her to the EPA & GNJ family. 

Emily, we’re so excited that you’ve joined the Communications team. This role is new for you, you are no stranger to EPA & GNJ. How have you been serving over the last few years?  

I have been serving as the Breakthrough Coordinator since Oct 2019, and in that role I’ve been planning and bringing to fruition worship series that are used by many of our EPA & GNJ churches and also churches beyond the UMC and beyond our conferences.  

I’m a big fan of Breakthrough. You don’t write all those series yourself. 

Breakthrough is a group project. I draw on the gifts and talents of many of our clergy and lay people to bring them to life.  

You’ve been creating content for EPA & GNJ for a long time in terms of worship and sermon series. Now you’re creating in a new way; what excites you about this role of Content Coordinator?   

There are a few different things that excite me. On a personal level, I’ve always wanted to spend more time writing, and this role gives me the opportunity to do more of that.  

On an organizational level, I’m excited to share the stories of what God is doing in our churches and communities and to have a front row seat to that.  

I love that. So how do you share the stories of what God is doing in EPA & GNJ?  

I share them through the weekly Digest and the Newspirit. But to do that, I rely on people to tell me what’s going on. One of the things I do is I attend events and services and write articles, but another really important way that I share stories is by amplifying other people’s voices. So I am seeking writers, whether that is clergy or lay people from our churches, to tell their own stories—from an inside perspective.  

That sounds like a really exciting opportunity for people to celebrate their ministries.  

Yes, and that’s important because it’s important to have a diversity of voices and perspectives sharing stories. I see and write through a particular lens, and to capture the wonderful diversity of EPA & GNJ, we need to hear the stories told from different perspectives.  

On a practical level, sharing stories written by our audience also allows me to continue to do Breakthrough. 

Which is essential. One more question for you. If someone has a story or an announcement to share how can they get in contact with you?  

They can email me at ewilton@epagnj.org. And if someone is unsure about whether their story is “article material” or if they’re nervous to write, I am always happy to listen, bounce ideas around, and support them with their writing.  

Awesome! Thank you so much for your time. Thank you for the ways you are already amplifying the voices of the people of EPA & GNJ and bringing their stories to life. I’m so excited to see how you continue to do that!  

Me too!