Central is delighted to welcome Laura Scott as our new Director of Community Life and Spiritual Formation. With a varied background in journalism, counseling, and ministry, Laura brings a heart for helping people grow in their relationship with Jesus.

Laura’s journey to this role was shaped by prayer and discernment. She was working as a counselor in a residential treatment setting, but knew she wanted to be connected to a church ministry. “I asked God to show me the right position,” she said.

At the time, Laura and her family were attending another church, but they had been members of Central several years earlier and remained connected. When Laura happened to see Central’s job posting online, it immediately caught her attention.

“I knew I wanted to be somewhere where I already knew people,” she said. “When I saw the job title and realized it was at Central, I thought, ‘Wow!’ The interview process felt so life-giving and energizing. I knew this was where God was leading.”

Laura grew up near Hershey, PA, in a Pennsylvania Dutch community. She attended Penn State, where she studied journalism and counseling, and was involved with The Navigators, a campus ministry that played a pivotal role in her spiritual life.

“That’s where I really understood that Jesus transforms our lives now—not just in eternity,” she said. “Faith became much more than simply getting into heaven.”

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.”

Isaiah 43:1–3

After graduating, Laura began her career as an editor. Later, she stepped away from work for a time after welcoming her daughter Avery, now 17, and her son Ben, now 14.

Laura and her husband, Andy, felt called to live in cities and be part of sustaining vibrant urban communities. They lived in Boston and downtown Washington, D.C., before eventually settling in Baltimore. Andy now works as a labor and employment lawyer serving school boards.

While living in Baltimore, Laura felt increasingly drawn toward ministry and caring for others. She pursued a degree in pastoral counseling at Loyola University Maryland. She served as a pastoral counselor at Helping Up Mission for six years, and worked at a substance abuse clinic before taking time off work to manage breast cancer. She said Isaiah 43:1–3 helped her through that difficult time:

After she returned to work as a counselor in a residential group setting she began to see that God was calling her to a church ministry and she found Central.

In her role, Laura hopes to help people grow closer to Jesus through prayer, Scripture, and meaningful relationships. Community, she believes, is essential.

“I’ve learned through my life and work that community is incredibly transformational,” Laura said. “I’m excited to explore ways we can gather more as a church, create spaces where people feel drawn in, and help everyone deepen their sense of belonging at Central. People in our culture really need community.”