{"id":33340,"date":"2026-03-17T08:46:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T13:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/?p=33340"},"modified":"2026-03-17T08:46:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T13:46:15","slug":"jo-ann-griffith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/jo-ann-griffith\/","title":{"rendered":"With All Your Heart, Soul, and Strength\u2014Jo Ann Griffith&#8217;s Legacy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Above: Bethel Evangelical Secondary School, a school in <span class=\"fontstyle0\">Dembidolo, Ethiopia operated by the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus and supported in part by the PC(USA).<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><span class=\"text Matt-19-13\">&#8220;Then children were being brought to [Jesus] in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them, <\/span><span id=\"en-NRSVUE-23775\" class=\"text Matt-19-14\">but Jesus said, &#8216;Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.&#8217;<\/span><span id=\"en-NRSVUE-23776\" class=\"text Matt-19-15\"><sup class=\"versenum\">\u00a0<\/sup>And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.&#8221; &#8211; Matthew 19:13-15<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Treasure In Heaven<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">From childhood, Jo Ann Griffith \u201959 (1934-2024) dreamed of becoming a Christian missionary\u2014or, as she called it as <\/span><span class=\"fontstyle0\">a little girl, a \u201cChrissionary.\u201d She spent her early years saving, working, and studying with single-minded dedication to that calling. Yet, as a young adult, she still had no clear path to fulfill her dream.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_33341\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-33341\" style=\"width: 263px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-33341 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Jo-Ann-Griffith-headshot-263x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"263\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Jo-Ann-Griffith-headshot-263x300.jpg 263w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Jo-Ann-Griffith-headshot-898x1024.jpg 898w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Jo-Ann-Griffith-headshot-768x876.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Jo-Ann-Griffith-headshot-300x342.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Jo-Ann-Griffith-headshot-850x969.jpg 850w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Jo-Ann-Griffith-headshot.jpg 1104w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 263px) 100vw, 263px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-33341\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jo Ann Griffith &#8217;59<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">That changed near the end of her undergraduate studies, when the Rev. Dr. W. Don McClure \u201934\u2014namesake of PTS\u2019s annual McClure Lectures\u2014 visited her church to speak about his mission work in Ethiopia. From the pews, Jo Ann praised God for the door she saw opening before her. She introduced herself to Don after the talk and soon resolved to prepare for ministry at Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological Seminary (an antecedent of PTS), Don\u2019s alma mater. The two stayed in close touch throughout Jo Ann\u2019s seminary years. Upon graduating with her Master of Arts in Religious Education, Jo Ann wasted no time in booking a flight to Ethiopia, where Don and his wife warmly welcomed her. The couple was approaching retirement, and as a young missionary, Jo Ann benefited deeply from their mentorship, hospitality, and vibrant spirit during those early years.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_33349\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-33349\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-33349\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/BESS-students-outdoors-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/BESS-students-outdoors-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/BESS-students-outdoors-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/BESS-students-outdoors-850x638.jpg 850w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/BESS-students-outdoors.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-33349\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students at Bethel Evangelical Secondary School<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">Jo Ann went on to serve in three different locations across Ethiopia for 47 years. Thirty of those years were spent at Bethel Evangelical Secondary School (BESS) in Dembidolo, where she taught English, Bible, and home economics. Serving the students of BESS became the great joy and focus of Jo Ann\u2019s life. She oversaw the preparation of nutritious meals in the dining hall, instilled healthy habits, and launched a seed-distribution initiative that reached both the school and the wider community\u2014this effort earned her the nickname \u201cthe seed lady.\u201d Students affectionately called Jo Ann \u201cMisge\u201d and spoke of her as a \u201clifelong mentor,\u201d \u201csecond mother,\u201d and \u201camazing teacher . . . with a big heart full of love.\u201d In a memoir about Jo Ann prepared by one of her former students, BESS alums shared stories of the way \u201cMisge\u201d modeled \u201ctrue leadership\u201d and Christian love through simple acts of service\u2014picking up trash, preparing treats, hosting Bible studies, and opening her home for games on Friday nights.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">After retiring and returning to the U.S., Jo Ann continued serving others through local organizations, including Due West Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Erskine College and Seminary, Cherokee Trail Elementary School, and others, but her heart remained in Ethiopia. In her later years, she enjoyed visiting former BESS students living in the U.S. and corresponding with others who remained abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">In her sunset years, Jo Ann chose to leave her remaining personal assets to institutions she believed in\u2014among them Erskine College and Seminary (where she earned her undergraduate degree) and PTS. In her final months, Jo Ann shared with her sister, Jane, \u201cDo you know why I did what I did with my money? I gave it to those who made me who I am.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Read Next<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_32742\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32742\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/generational-change-in-church\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32742\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hands-communion-plain-dish-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hands-communion-plain-dish-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hands-communion-plain-dish-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hands-communion-plain-dish-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hands-communion-plain-dish-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hands-communion-plain-dish-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hands-communion-plain-dish-850x567.jpg 850w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-32742\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Same Bread, Different Dishes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_32740\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32740\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/women-in-minstry\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32740\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/holding-hands-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/holding-hands-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/holding-hands-1024x678.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/holding-hands-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/holding-hands-1536x1017.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/holding-hands-2048x1356.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.pts.edu\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/holding-hands-850x563.jpg 850w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-32740\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lessons I Learned as a Clergywoman and a Daughter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Above: Bethel Evangelical Secondary School, a school in Dembidolo, Ethiopia operated by the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus and supported in part by the PC(USA). &#8220;Then children were being brought to [Jesus] in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them, but Jesus&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":33344,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4,398,5],"tags":[1044,1051,562,1056,1048,1047,1046,1045,1054,1055,1053,1050,1052,617,1049,816,1043,1057,1042],"series":[],"class_list":["post-33340","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ministry","category-people-of-pts","category-protestant-spirituality","tag-call-to-mission","tag-christian-faithfulness","tag-christian-mission","tag-christian-missionary","tag-christian-school","tag-christian-school-africa","tag-christianity-in-africa","tag-ethiopia","tag-go-into-all-the-world","tag-here-am-i-send-me","tag-here-i-am","tag-lifelong-vocation","tag-love-of-god","tag-love-of-neighbor","tag-ministry-to-children","tag-missionary","tag-missionary-life","tag-post-colonialism","tag-treasure-in-heaven"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - 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