The Rev.
Starsky D. Wilson is going from leading a church with 200
congregants to leading a foundation with $50 million in charitable
funds – but he’s not leaving his pulpit any time soon.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>On Monday the Deaconess Foundation announced that Wilson has been chosen as its new president and CEO. Wilson has served as full-time pastor of St. John’s United Church of Christ near Fairgrounds Park in the city of St. Louis for three years.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I’m talking to the church now about continuing to serve in both roles, at least for the next good period of time,” Wilson told The American. “Hopefully, we can work out a long-term relationship, and the foundation is fine with me taking time to figure that out.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The faith-based foundation has close ties to the United Church of Christ, where Wilson is a faith leader.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“The Deaconess heritage always has been connected to the church,” Wilson said. “The first leaders of the Deaconess Society in the 1880s started in the old St. Peters Evangelical Church. There always has been a connection a living pastorate.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The foundation is dedicated to the improved health of metropolitan St. Louis, with a particular focus on the needs of children in the urban core. Wilson’s pastoral role would keep him plugged into that mission.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I was very open, talking to the board, about how I bring a pespective into the room when we are talking about children living in poverty in this region, from my own experiences and my ministry experiences,” Wilson said.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“The community expects us to live out our mission in a way that is authentic and consistent with where the real needs are. We have an obligation to engage in the areas of greatest need and invest in the best intervention models. With 39 percent of African-American children in poverty in the U.S. and 35 percent of Hispanic children, we need to look for engaging heavily with partners that provide solutions for these populations.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;”> Wilson “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;”> succeeds “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Jerry Paul, who is retiring. Paul has led the foundation since the sale of the former Deaconess Incarnate Word Health System in 1997. Wilson was unanimously approved for the position by the Deaconess Board of Trustees, chaired by Richard DeVaughn.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;”> “ “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Starsky is a highly regarded and effective community leader with a demonstrated passion for the Deaconess mission and value,” DeVaughn said in a statement.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;”> . “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Deaconess Foundation’s principal focus is on strengthening the capacity of nonprofit organizations that serve children and youth, currently working with its second round of eight Impact Partners. Wilson said his executive role with the major Impact Partners primarily will be “due diligence.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The foundation also supports Deaconess Parish Nurse Ministries and admininsters other streams of funding that “give the staff and CEO the opportunity to support particular agencies in the community with projects aligned with mission,” Wilson said.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;”> Before going full-time into pastoral work, Wilson held leadership roles at the United Way of Greater St. Louis (Major Gifts Officer), Madison County Urban League (President and CEO) and Black Rep (Director, Institutional Advancement). “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>He said the move back to full-time work away from the pulpit was not finanically motivated.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“Our family has done okay, we’ve done well,” he said. “My wife (who is a dentist) earns well. I’ve done well up until going into full-time ministry. It’s not a financial motive at all.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>He sees leading the foundation as an extension of his pastoral duties, which is why he wants to work out a way to do both.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“Deaconess helps youth, primarily, youth in poverty – that’s where the dollars are targeted,” he said. “That’s one reason I want to stay at St. John’s. It keeps me grounded in that community.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Some of his peers in the community agree.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“Starsky is an emerging national talent,” said James Buford, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. “For him, this role is a vocation, not a job. It is an ideal fit with his lifelong mission in life.”
