SONJA AREVALO When

Kate Lasko

Sonja Arevalo’s church closed three years ago, she and her family went looking for a new place to worship. They visited several churches in the area, but none drew them to join - until a friend suggested they visit Kingston UMC. Shortly after attending the Ash Wednesday service in 2020, the Arevalos knew they had found their church. “We were drawn to the inclusivity expressed in the Statement of Welcome, and I resonated with the foundational beliefs,” she recalls. Since joining, Sonja has given generously of her time and talents, most notably as chair of the Leadership Board.

Sonja grew up in Lancaster, PA in a home where Christian values were embraced,“but I didn’t find my own faith until high school when I began attending a large youth group with some friends,” she shares. After several short-term inner-city mission trips, “I felt the Lord calling me to ministry with youth,” she adds. Sonja attended Philadelphia Bible College (now Cairn University), where she majored in Bible Studies with an emphasis on Youth Ministry. Considering her background, it is no surprise that she is drawn to service. At Kingston UMC, she has served in various capacities, from “leading liturgy and reading scripture during worship to doing yard work during cleanup days to organizing the church offices.”

A resident of Plainsboro, Sonja also volunteers throughout her community. In addition to packing lunches and organizing the clothing pantry at St. Bart’s Lutheran Church in Trenton, she is secretary for her local fire station and, whenever able, donates blood at the Red Cross. Engaging in these service opportunities “reminds me that we’re all in this life together, upholding each other and striving to make the world a bit better,” she shares, adding, “I enjoy it!”

In addition to her volunteer commitments, Sonja has served as Director of Patient Services for VOX Telehealth for the past seven years. Add to her already busy life, she and husband Edwin are raising three children, Hunter, Marisa, and Michael. Last year, in planning for the Central District Multi-Site Ministry (CDMSM) , Pastor Skitch asked Sonja to chair KUMC’s Leadership Board. “I spoke to Edwin and prayed about the opportunity for a few weeks before accepting,” she shares. “I had a lot on my plate at the time, so I had to consider what responsibilities I would have to lay down to take on this new role,” she adds.

Composed of nine members, the Leadership Board is to have “fluency in the vision, mission, and values of KUMC. It is responsible for governance, financial matters, staff structure, congregational vitality, spiritual formation and leadership development” within the church, explains Sonja. One of the eight core values adopted by KUMC is Disciplined Discernment, through which the individual and the collective cultivate the practice of listening for and aligning self with God’s direction and purposes. KUMC’s Leadership Board “practices Disciplined Discernment in several purposeful ways,” states Sonja. “We open and close our meetings with focused prayer, seeking the Lord’s will and guidance as we embark on the work before us and as we take action or seek further discussion,” she adds. Outside of meetings, the board members avail themselves to congregants that may seek assistance or guidance from the board. Finally, “we strive to set an example of service throughout KUMC outside of Leadership Board meetings,” she explains.

Kingston (and Princeton) UMC’s upcoming Holy Spirit Worship Series asks “us to see where the Holy Spirit is moving us, uniting us, guiding us, helping us face our fears, do hard things, and so much more.” For the Leadership Board, the Holy Spirit is at work “uniting and making us bold as we continue expanding our partnership with Princeton UMC; it also led us in thoughtfully considering and ultimately adopting a new vision, mission and values” for the church. As the Board deliberates over questions and next steps, Sonja looks forward to “The Holy Spirit moving in the Board [as it does] this important and exciting work for our beloved KUMC.”