Dana Waters did not expect to lead a life centered around ministry. Rather, Waters began his journey to ministry on a different path while focusing on alternate goals.

  When attending Presbyterian College, Waters sought out a double major in French and Business.

  In his sophomore year in college, Waters and friends opened a bookstore in their dorm room to rival the on-campus bookstore.

  “The bookstore grew like wildfire. It got so big that we eventually had to move our furniture out to make more room for books,” laughed Waters.

  Waters was then approached by the college to place a bid to become the new campus bookstore.

  During the last few weeks of his college career, Waters was busy creating a bid proposal to present to the college while trying to also pass all of his final exams. Two days after graduation, the college accepted Waters’ bid. He stayed in South Carolina for three years following college to run the business at Presbyterian College.

  “I had a bunch of ideas on where I was going to end up after college. I thought I was going to move to California and install solar panels for a living,” laughed Waters. “I’m a nerd for solar panels.”

  However, installing solar panels in California was not to be the path that he would walk.

  Waters describes an excursion he took to Mount Montreat as the “curveball” that changed the direction of his life. Mount Montreat, located in North Carolina, is a holy place for people of the Presbyterian faith. Through a mountaintop experience, Waters discovered his life’s calling.

  “I’ve never been struck by lightning before, but I imagine the feeling I had on that mountain was what it was like to be struck by lightning,” said Waters.

  “I had a feeling overwhelm me about God’s plan for me. It was a surreal and terrifying experience,” said Waters. “It was like God was in my head saying ‘What about ministry?’ It was a total curveball for me.”

    Since then, Waters has gone on to receive a Master of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia.

  Waters has also been working in different churches since 2012, to include a position as the Associate Pastor of Youth and Mission Ministries at Fort Hill Presbyterian Church in Clemson, South Carolina. 

  On September 16, 2019, Reverend Dana Waters joined McDonough Presbyterian Church as the new head pastor. This is the first location where he is the head of staff.

  He describes ministry as being unbelievably busy. However, he has never felt so clearly that he is right where he needs to be in life.

  Working as the head pastor at McDonough Presbyterian Church has been “amazing so far,” said Waters. “The congregation has been very welcoming.”

  He is enjoying jumping into the job with both feet and getting to know people in the area. Waters is excited to see what God has in store for McDonough Presbyterian Church and its role in the local community.

  Waters has a wife named Kira and three cats that “ know they are in charge” named Chaco, Roday and Rory.