Hello,
My name is Pastor Madison Ailinger and I am excited to meet you all! A couple of weeks ago, I told my friends and family I was moving to Williamsburg, and a beautiful thing happened. People started calling me from all over the state saying how wonderful your congregation is and that I will be truly blessed by your presence. So, thank you! Thank you for your heart for God. Thank you for being the type of people who wake up and make a difference in the world. I am deeply humbled that I have the opportunity to meet you and work alongside you.
Here’s my story. One night, when I was 19 years old, I felt God speak to me. It was one of the most surreal experiences of my life and it changed everything. In that moment, I felt God call me to be a pastor. This moment still grounds me to this day. We all need a moment to remember when life gets tough and our faith starts falling. A moment that reminds us of what is important when divisiveness and trials try to take our joy.
So, with all my heart, I can’t wait to sit with you in your homes and hear your moments. What is the thing that breathes life into your soul? What do you love about your church? What is a moment you thought you’d never get through, but God paved a way? I would love to listen to your stories because I know I will see God in your eyes.
Since, that day where I heard God at Virginia Tech, my life has turned into something I could have never imagined. I married my husband Ben, went to Duke Divinity School and became a lead pastor of a church in Staunton, Virginia at just 24 years old. I was the youngest pastor they’d ever had, and I learned so much I could write a book. In all of that, God has been my refuge and my strength. God has changed my life, and I have seen so many blessings because of this. A 19-year-old visited our church and told me, that God spoke to him and told him to come to our church service. It was breath taking to hear stories like this. Every day in ministry, I realized God is merciful and speaking to us. However, we also had our hard moments. I officiated 14 funerals in 3 years, but what I learned is even in the shadow of death, God is with us. We are never alone.
My heart is for outreach, reaching young people, and bringing the Kingdom of God to those who have lost hope in the world. I want to tell them about the real experiences I’ve had with God and how they change everything. When you realize death has lost its sting and Jesus’ love is more powerful than anything you see on the news, you become a different person. It takes only one powerful moment to change everything. I believe God is leading me to your church and together we may just change the world. I have big dreams, and I know you have them too! I can’t wait to meet you!
~ Pastor Madison