Over the past few years, the Center for Rural Ministry has worked closely with Grove City College professors and students in an effort to serve pastors and their congregations in rural communities. Grove City College is an educational institution committed to providing students the knowledge, skills and resources they need to steward the talents God has given them so that they may serve Him through their vocation.
The CRM team strives to embody these values; Each member brings a unique set of skills to the organization that they together engage to support the ministry of the rural church. The team’s newest hire, Communications and Media Director Garrett Heath, is no exception.
Building on a Longstanding Partnership
Over the past five years, Heath has supported the CRM’s ministry through contracted work creating brand videos, short documentaries and photography packages that exemplify the ways the organization is collaborating with the college to benefit the local church. (Examples of Heath's work can be found on the Center for Rural Ministry's webpage and YouTube channel.) He became a full-time member of the CRM team on Jan. 1 2025 as the new Communications and Media Director.
In his new position, Heath will develop media strategies and produce content such as short films, videos and photographs to help spread the word about the organization’s programs and hopefully reach more pastors and churches interested in getting involved with the CRM. In coming years, Garrett will also be working alongside CRM executive director Charlie Cotherman and CRM finance and operations director Michelle McFeaters to launch a series of hybrid training videos featuring Grove City College faculty and other national experts. These videos will be aimed at training and equipping rural pastors and lay leaders.
Showcasing the Truth, Beauty, and Goodness
Heath is skilled in photography, media consultation, website design and creating both full-length documentary films and TV commercials. His personal media business, Okiejoke Media, has served several notable clients over the past five years including Penn State University, RealTree, Wired Outdoors, Grove City College and Ancient Faith Ministries. He hopes to apply his experience working in the creative media industry to help further the mission of the CRM:
“I believe in the power of visual media to convey messages of truth, goodness and beauty in a cultural language that our larger society can understand. Visual media is the language that people increasingly speak (for better or worse), and if we can’t communicate the Gospel by these means, then we’re missing out on a tremendous opportunity,” Heath said.
Heath seeks to serve the Lord in his personal life as well as through his position at the CRM. He served the church through youth ministry throughout his 20s and 30s, and he currently attends St. Anthony’s Orthodox Church in Butler, Pa. with his wife, Autumn, and their five children. Heath and his wife themselves are originally from a rural community near Knox Pa.
“I believe there’s never been a more important time to support the work of ministry in a rural context. As the rural-urban gap widens, and resources increasingly follow suit, now more than ever we need leaders and organizations who can focus their attention to furthering the Kingdom in small places,” Heath said.
Emily Fox is a junior at Grove City College and a CRM Student Fellow. She grew up in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania and is studying English with minors in Writing and Digital Marketing at the college. Post-grad, she hopes to pursue a career in Public Relations.
