Todd Miller has a heart for youth leadership

By Barry Merrill
NL Publisher
A local 26 year old has heard a calling to turn a gift for working with young people into helping them in their faith journey.
Todd Miller has been a life-long member of Princeton United Methodist Church, and has been helping with children’s church there since he was around 12 or 13. A couple of years ago, he accepted the responsibilities of youth pastor at the church.
Like many who hear a calling into the ministry, Todd was not sure that was where he wanted to be. While he was comfortable helping others, when the church’s lay leader, Joey Barber, initially asked him about moving into that role, he said “No.”
He had just been married a few months earlier, and was working full-time at Casey’s Floral and Catering Service. “I knew that would be a lot of responsibility on me,” Todd said last week.
He said he continued to pray about it, and was continuing to work with youth at the church. One evening a youth told him how much he enjoyed talking with Todd. That sharing moved him, and caused Todd to talk about it with his new wife, Leslie.
“We talked about what an awesome job it would be, and I knew she would be there to support me.” He also understood that this was how God would have Todd serve Him.
He went to his employer, Craig Casey, who said he would work with Todd’s schedule to allow him the time to devote to the church responsibilities if he accepted the call to the ministry.
Joey came back to Todd, saying they were considering putting an ad in the newspaper for the youth pastor position, but wanted to give Todd another opportunity to say yes. This time Todd agreed to take the position.
Todd is the son of Andy Miller and Terry Blackmon. His parents were divorced when he was three or four, and when they divorced, he moved with his mother to Pine Level. He started going to school in Pine Level, and finished his high school education at North Johnston High School in May 1999. They moved back to Princeton when he was in 10th grade, as his mother married Dennis Blackmon and they built a house next to her mother, Linda Pittman, just outside Princeton.
After graduation, he went on to NC State, earning his associate’s degree in ornamentals horticulture landscaping technology. At the time, Todd was working outside, maintaining a number of yards in the area, and felt that was what he wanted to do.
After he came back from college, he went to work at Casey’s, and realized that landscaping was not where he would be happy. He continued to feel a call to work with youth, and considered going into the day care business. At Casey’s, he was not happy just working behind the counter with flowers, but got into the catering business, and that got him out and interacting with people, something he enjoyed.
One day he was going out on a catering job, when Will Ingram, one of the other employees at Casey’s, called him to say he would not be able to help Todd, but said his sister, Leslie would. That soon led to the two dating and their marriage two and a half years ago.
Leslie went on to turn her training in dance and working with other studios to open a dance studio in Princeton, Tippy Toes. While Leslie supports Todd in his youth ministry, Todd gets plenty of chances to help her with the studio as well.
Last year they moved into a home on US70 just east of Princeton.
Part of Todd’s call into youth ministry came through Amy Turnage, who served as youth pastor at the church beginning in 2000. “She had a lot of energy and excitement, and a lot of ideas,” Todd says.
Amy delegated a lot to Todd with the younger children.
In the winter of 2003-04, Amy went on a leave of absence and eventually left the church. Kathy Starling, who had been working with the Drama Team at the church, agreed to help keep that going, and Todd continued working with the children, as well as serving on the Drama Team.
Amy’s leaving was the beginning of a rough time in the church, and the church had four pastors over a twenty month period. With the appointment of Michael Coppock to lead the church in June of last year, Todd has sensed a change. “We have a stability in the church.”
He noted that all of the pastors have been supportive of him, but he particularly appreciates the current pastor’s support.
During the 11 a.m. service, Todd has changed from a special program for the smaller children to doing a youth moment for all the church. “The adults can see what the little ones are doing, and the youth can see the support of the adults for what they are doing.”
He also has seen growth in his youth group meetings on Sunday night. “We have a Youth Council with officers: Nick Melvin, Kristina Peedin, Shane Hinton, Kenna Holt and Taylor Edwards.”
He related that they have about 33 who come regularly, and nearly half of those are not ready to go home when they complete their meetings, so they are going to begin a Bible study for those who want more.
“I’ve learned I can’t solve everybody’s problems. I wanted to be there, but some have got to learn from their own mistakes. It’s hard to see them make mistakes. I want them to understand it’s OK to mess up. I still love them. Jesus still loves them. Don’t be ashamed.”
In that learning, and seeing some mess up, Todd questioned whether he was being effective in the ministry. A youth trip a few months ago helped him to feel more comfortable.
“Christopher Hinton has always been so quiet, but going off to Big God (Conference in Myrtle Beach at New Year’s), to see him come out (in his faith), and to know I had a hand in that….”
Last fall he left Casey’s to go to work at Princeton School as an assistant. When he fell and broke his arm while working at the church, he left the school job. Fortunately he had a chance to go back to Casey’s and continues to help out there after an employee left.
He hopes to go back to Princeton School and really enjoyed that opportunity. As he sees working with youth as where his gifts lay, he sees continuing at Princeton UMC, perhaps taking some religion classes at Mount Olive College, and going back to Princeton School as where he should be.

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