The Zone Gathering

Today, we shine the spotlight on Hyla Helsel, who will be the Alpha Administrator in Fall 2005. Hyla has an overwhelming love for God and love for people, and her enthusiasm is contagious. Today, we caught up with Hylas to talk about life, ministry, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

How long have you attended NCC? What brought you to NCC?

I’ve been at NCC for about one year. I found NCC through a google search for churches on Capitol Hill.

Tell us a little about the small groups and/or ministries that you lead and how that experience has impacted you.

I’ve been involved with Alpha for the last two semesters and will be acting as Alpha administrator this Fall. I can’t say enough about Alpha. Not only do I get to watch people gain a new and deeper understanding of God, I also get to build relationships with some amazing people both in my group(s) and on the team. The team members are so energized and care so much about their Alpha participants. I love investing in other peoples’ lives, but I have to admit that it is the impact alpha has had on my own spiritual life that is the most profound. It has been a safe space to throw out seemingly ridiculous questions and expand my concept of God….I seem to learn something in a new way every week. K, I’m done now. I promise.

Where can you be found on Sunday mornings?

In bed. (I’m all for Saturday night church.)

When did you start following Christ and what have been some of the spiritual turning points in your life?

I grew up in a wonderful Christian family so I’ve heard about Jesus practically since birth. I remember understanding God’s forgiveness at the most basic level when I was 4 and it’s really been a gradual process of growth ever since. There have been a few important milestones, though. Well, actually, the milestones are more relationships than events. I had a close friend and mentor in high school that modeled for me what a strong faith looks like in the real world. That laid the foundation for the kind of faith I am still pursuing today. After four years in a Christian college, I was looking for some real faith again that wasn’t encumbered by rules. Eventually, I landed in a small group at a church in Philly that was diverse in age and political leanings and theological stances. Spending time with these people helped me to understand the individualism of relationship with Christ. But, upon arriving in DC, I felt like I was holding onto my faith by the end of a very long pole that was swaying every time the wind blew. I knew there was a real faith to be lived in the real world, like the one my friend had modeled for me in high school, but I wasn’t having much success at blending my life with my faith. Through NCC, Alpha and relationships built here in the last year, I feel as though I’ve turned a corner in that blending. I continue to see new dimensions of God all the time and a big part of that is being part of a community that isn’t afraid to be real with each other. God is good and continues to grow me!! (So, see?? Your small groups are making big impacts!!)

Tell us a little about your background.

I grew up in the Allegheny mountains in Pennsylvania. (You know those ads on the metro for rural PA? That’s home.) I fled the small town of Ebensburg, PA immediately after high school and landed in another small town for college. I did my undergrad at Grace College in Winona Lake, IN where I got a B.S. in music education. After a year of residing in random cities around the country, I moved to Philadelpha for graduate school at Temple University where I got my masters degree in Musicology (yes, that was a real word before Prince!). As for family, I have two older brothers, two awesome sister-in-laws, two nieces and a nephew. And, of course, my parents! I am fortunate to have wonderful parents and my mom and I are more friends or sisters than mother/daughter.

What is your favorite Scripture passage?

Isaiah 42
James
Ecclesiastes

What are your favorite books?

I hate this question. I read, I swear I do, but I can’t ever think of anything when asked. However, Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell is probably the best thing I’ve read in the last year.

What are your favorite movies?

Shawshank Redemption
Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion
Does the Steelers season highlights DVD count?

What is your favorite fast food?

I really want to say In-n-Out b/c it’s just soo good, but I haven’t lived near one in years so probably Wendy’s. (Unless Chipotle counts…. then definitely Chipotle.)
What is something that most people at NCC would not know about you?

I’m allergic to kiwi.
Tell us a little about your day job. What is your dream job?

I work for the Master Chorale of Washington, a professional chorus here in DC. I do marketing, public relations and other sundry tasks for them. My dream job… well, I’d really like to be a philanthropist or an orchestral musician. But, since that’s probably not happening anytime soon, I’d settle for a job that allowed me to combine my passions for music and education - like working for the education department of an orchestra or other performing arts group. I also dream about a job that would allow me to travel all over the world…maybe someday.

Who is your hero? (besides Jesus or any other member of the Trinity)

I don’t really have a hero, but in general, I think pretty highly of anyone that grew up in a small town and changed the world in some way.

What do you do in your free time?

Well, right now, I paint and unpack boxes. I just moved - whoo-hoo! In general, I try to go to lots of concerts, mostly classical, but I expand my horizons now and then. I’ll spend time at pretty much any artsy sort of thing. This summer I’ll likely be found at Screen on the Green (which is soo much fun - if you haven’t gone, you should!), jazz at the sculpture garden and places with air conditioning. I also love to travel anytime I can snag some vacation. Oh yeah, and I’m a blogger so that eats some of my time, too.

In NCC:THE MOVIE who would play you? Who would play Pastor Mark?

me: Julia Louis-Dreyfus? (Elaine from Seinfeld)

Mark: I’m on the Jim Carrey boat.

What is your favorite Pastor Markism?
I giggle everytime he says always and it comes out “aways”

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 18th, 2006 at 9:10 am and is filed under News and Updates, Small Group Leaders, Spotlights. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.