“I will lift up my eyes to the hills”, Psalm 121, offers the beautiful hope that our help comes from the Lord.  The person we are “getting to know” this month was born and spent her first 15 years in Denver, Colorado, within sight of the majestic Rocky Mountains, where she could indeed lift up her eyes to the hills.  Though the midwest offers much beauty, surely Beth Schupp misses the splendor of the soaring Rockies!  However, it is to the benefit of Gashland EPC that she now calls our church home.  

     Following her freshman year at Green Mountain High School in Colorado, her family moved to Kansas City where she transferred to North Kansas City HS.  From there she moved to Kirksville, MO to earn a degree in Graphic Arts at Truman State University, with her favorite classes being in art. Beth’s father, John Joslin, worked as an attorney for Farmland Industries, while her mother, Earlene, was a nurse, working her final 10 pre-retirement years at Trinity Lutheran Hospital.  Mrs. Schupp is blessed to share a pew with her parents on Sunday mornings.

      As the middle of three girls in her family, she was known as one of “the three Bs”, for Barbara, Beth, and Becky.  Barbara (who now goes by Julie) works in human resources in Jacksonville, Fl, while Becky is a legal administrator in Excelsior Springs, MO.

     Beth has a favorite name…”Nana”.  Her younger son, John, is a stay-at-home dad to Ryleigh, age 4 ½ years, and Hayleigh, 18 months old.  And of course Gashland is well acquainted with her older son, Chris, who is very active in handling the sound system during morning worship services, as well as working in the Men’s Ministry program.  (Not to mention, occasionally adding the distinct sound of the bagpipes to services!)  The other family member is her granddog, Frank, the Pug, who can sometimes be seen attending outdoor activities at the church.

      Employed as an account executive for Mercer, an insurance brokerage company, Beth’s specialty is in corporate travel accident coverage.  After 10 years in this position, she now enjoys working from home (a Covid change). She finds this work quite interesting, as “no two company policies are alike, with each having unique needs.”  Beth definitely prefers this career to the 12 years she spent following college as a manager for Wendy’s, where she would be assigned around the metro area working in various locations.

      We might call this lady a “boomerang”….for all the best reasons!  When her family moved to this area in 1979 they joined Gashland, where her parents were both elders and demonstrated the importance of serving in church leadership roles to their daughters.  She married 9 years later and moved with her husband to Lee’s Summit United Methodist Church.  They lived in the Blue Springs/Lee’s Summit area until her marriage ended in 1994, at which time she moved, with her two small sons, back to the Northland.  She attended Platte Woods United Methodist for a couple of years, then began her approximately 10 years at St. Luke’s Joy Presbyterian.  Finally, 7 to 8 years ago, she boomeranged right back to GEPC!  She explained why she chose to return to this church after a two-decade absence, “I am so thankful for this church and especially for the Godly men leading the church.”

      And we are so pleased that she did!  Beth is active in the Women’s Ministry program, with her duties including hosting the monthly 2nd Saturday coffees.  If you attend the 8:30 worship service, you will probably be seeing her welcoming face as she greets attenders entering the sanctuary.  She participates in the Women’s Sunday School Class, and this past month has helped in Kids’ Zone with Bible verse memory.  “I do enjoy children, but I’m not one to run after them.  So I told Children’s Ministries Director, Rachael Adams, if she had a spot I could just stay at I would do it.”  Beth quoted “Thy Word have I hid in my heart”, stressing “the importance of bringing children up to learn scripture as a foundation.”  Ephesians 6:10-17 serves among Mrs. Schupp’s favorite scriptures, as it describes the armor of God.

     A lady with many interests, Beth participates in the Heart of America Camino, a non-denominational Walk to Emmaus….ask her about it.  She enjoys crocheting as well as other crafts; travelling, especially to the Florida Gulf Coast; reading favorites by authors David Baldacci and John Grisham;  watching movies such as “Terms of Endearment”, Star Trek films, and “Top Gun” along with its sequel “Maverick”.

      As a child Mary Beth Joslin (yes, that was her full name) took piano lessons from a teacher who felt she would excel due to her large hands.  And, no, the other Maribeth doesn’t have a backup pianist for worship services, as this Mary Beth claims she can’t play a note now!  But she is definitely a talented lady in other areas, serving our Lord with her many abilities.