Gary Mershon
In the Highlights section of our newsletter, we want to introduce the teen centers we work with. These articles will introduce you to the centers, the directors and volunteers who work there, and some of the students whose lives have been impacted by their ministry.
In this issue I would like to introduce you to Gary Mershon. He is the Director of Thrive Teen Center in Leesburg, Florida, which is operated by Church of the Lakes. This year the church will be celebrating their 5th anniversary and the center has been open since March of 2020.
In Nov. 2019, I was able to travel to Leesburg to help them with plans to launch the center. I met with their team, spoke at their church, and toured the site of what would become their center. Since then I have continued to stay in touch and since Gary has come on board, have regularly met with him over Zoom.
There is much more that could be said (and will be said in a future article) about the story of the church, the teen center itself, and its impact among the youth of Leesburg, but for now I will let Gary introduce himself and share his story with you.
Hello, my name is Gary Mershon. I am 34 years old and living my best life - although it didn't start that way.
I was born in Portsmouth, Ohio. I have 1 biological sister, 2 step-brothers, and a step-sister, so I am the oldest of 5 siblings. My childhood wasn't the greatest. Let's just say that I grew up in a fatherless home, and my mom being a single mom did the best that she could for me. We moved to Leesburg, Florida when I was 11 years old. I went to Middle and High School both in Leesburg.
That is where I met Pastor Mike Matheny.
He was my youth pastor when I was in high school. He was the father figure that I never had and tried to teach me right, but I thought I knew everything. I got saved and baptized my senior year in high school. I served 4 years in the US Navy as an Intel Specialist. Then I went to the University of Florida for a bachelor's degree in Business Administration focusing on management. When I moved back to Leesburg, I took a store manager job at a pawn shop.
It was then I heard about Pastor Mike launching Church of The Lakes in Leesburg. I started attending and not only did I find my church home but I started to develop a passion and a yearning to teach the youth. The youth director at the church happens to be my best friend from high school, but we've known each other since middle school.
Then the church launched our teen center called Thrive in March of 2020.
As soon as Pastor Mike and Eden pitched me this idea, I was fully on board. I started volunteering 1 day a week. That led to 2, and even 3 days a week. I was mentoring 3 kids, in particular, all 3 of those kids are from fatherless homes. Then we took them to summer camp 2021. This was my first experience at summer camp as an adult and I didn't know what to expect.
The 3 boys that we took from the Thrive center all got saved and I had the honor and privilege to baptize them.
When I left camp, I was on FIRE from the Holy Spirit. I needed some guidance on what to do next. I knew that my God-given calling was to mentor youth, now I needed a platform to help the youth. It was around this time that the position of the Thrive director came available.
Fast-forward 3 months, I turned my resignation into my position at the pawnshop and left to go into ministry. Now, being the Thrive director has its ups and downs dealing with teens but I am excited for the future of our Teen Center.
I look forward to helping pave the way for new Teen Centers all over.
