A New Call for Hopie Jernagan ‘08

The Rev. Hope Welles Jernagan (Hopie),  Class of 2008 and a former member of our Board of Trustees, has been called to serve as Interim-Chaplain at Rockwell House Episcopal Campus Ministry in St. Louis, MO., starting on June 21 and continuing through the 2021-2022 school year.

Jernagan received her bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Washington University in St. Louis before attending General. While a student at WashU, she was an active participant at the Rockwell House, and was part of the original group of students to first occupy the house, where she discerned her call to ordained ministry as a student.

In 2007, Jernagan served as the summer chaplain at Camp Beckwith in the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, which ignited her love of chaplaincy. Her first role in ordained ministry was as chaplain to the Episcopal School of Jacksonville, a 6-12 grade private school in Jacksonville, FL. She is the recipient of the Bishop’s Cross Award in the Diocese of Florida for her pastoral handling of a school tragedy. After five years as chaplain, she and her family moved to St. Louis. In 2015, she became the Executive Director of Magdalane St. Louis, a residential community for women survivors of trafficking, exploitation, and addiction. She stepped down in 2018 to begin her own business as a communications and graphic design consultant for churches and nonprofits.

From the beginning of her discernment to ministry, Jernagan has been passionate about ministry outside of the parish. She has always felt most at home working with teenagers and young adults, and believes that spiritual development is an essential element in human development. She is married to the Rev. Luke Jernagan, Class of 2006, and has three elementary-aged children.