Mo Owen
EDITOR’S NOTE: A church community is created when people gather together for the love of God. At the same time, Saint Philip’s is composed of many people who represent different ages, life experiences, and world views.
The “In conversation…” series is one attempt to create possibilities for connection between the different people in our community. As varied as we all are, there are also similarities and mutual interests waiting to be discovered. And there is one thing we all share: A desire to know God and be in relationship with him.
This week’s conversation is with Mo Owen, a Saint Philip’s parishioner and volunteer.
Mo Owen
How long have you been at Saint Philip’s?
I was first introduced to Saint Philip’s when I came to Tucson as a Beloved in the Desert corps member 2020-2021. When I finished that year I moved back to North Carolina but returned to Tucson this past August.
What brought you back to Tucson?
Two things: my partner, Michael, and Tucson itself. I fell in love with the mountains and the people.
But I was in Tucson during the height of the pandemic—when everything was shut down—and I couldn’t experience the city the way I can now.
Luckily, I met wonderful people during my Beloved year and kept in touch with them even after I returned to North Carolina. That made it easy to slip back into a supportive community here in Tucson.
How do you volunteer at Saint Philip’s?
I teach Sunday School to 4th and 5th graders. Specifically, I do Story Makers with the 9 and 10 year olds. We dive into different Biblical stories and encourage the children to engage their imagination and creativity with art.
For example, right now we’re working on the creation story, and each Sunday is devoted to one of the seven days. The art and activity spark unexpected conversations. One young girl said, “I’m so glad I’m not God because I don’t think I could imagine all the things that God created.” That then led to a conversation about how beautiful the earth is and how grateful we are to be a part of it.
What is your faith tradition?
I grew up in Chapin, South Carolina, and was raised in the Episcopal church. My father taught my Sunday School class so it’s cool to be in that position now.
Why do you like about Saint Philip’s?
I love the community which I guess means I love the people who make up the community. It’s good to know I have people who support me even though we aren’t a biological family. I feel as though people really have my back.
What do you do professionally?
I work with the non-profit True Concord as their engagement specialist. That’s a fancy way of saying that I do pretty much anything that engages the public: emails, social media, telephone work, ushering on concert dates, selling tickets, etc. I love the work.
What’s a fun fact about you?
I play the euphonium (which is a tiny tuba) and participated in the 2019 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade with one of the largest marching bands in the nation (548 people).