NATCHEZ — God lives in all of us.

That simple yet powerful belief — that God lives in everyone, despite religious, ethnic or any other kind of difference — is what set C.J. Meaders on the path that led him to Trinity Episcopal Day School.

Meaders, in his second week as the school’s new chaplain, said he felt called to speak truth in its most distilled form.

“Seeing the injustice in the world, I wanted to respond to it with kindness and thoughtfulness,” he said. “I think the Christ way of life is the best way to do that.”

Meaders, a second-generation clergyman, received a master in divinity degree from Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. The 30-year-old Canton native also received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and religion and a bachelor’s degree in art and graphic design from Ole Miss.

Meaders said his role at Trinity would first and foremost be that of a pastor.

“I see myself as a daily presence of Christ. I’ll dress like this every day,” he said, pointing to his black shirt and white diaconal collar. “To be a reminder of the school’s commitment to the Christian life and ethics.”

But Meaders will also be a religion teacher.

“We’re going to teach the Episcopal identity and themes of diversity and themes of acceptance in a multicultural landscape,” he said.

Meaders also plays guitar and sings and said he plans to make that a big part of his ministry.

“I plan on having a guitar hanging in the classroom in case there’s a song that is going to help me get across a message,” he said.

Head of School Les Hegwood said Meaders also would be leading a service-learning component of Trinity’s new global studies initiative. Students will be connecting with children their age from across the world through pen pals and videoconferencing.

The global studies initiative, Meaders said, maps out perfectly with the Great Commission Jesus gave to his disciples in the book of Matthew.

“He told them to go out and baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,” Meaders said. “It wasn’t just for the Jews … they were to take it out to all of mankind.”

Meaders said being of service at home then spreading the message to the world is what he hopes to instill in students.

“Making the connection that what we’re doing has a practical benefit to you as you leave this place and that your grounded with a Christian foundation and doing the ministry that Christ commissioned you to do,” he said.