Six Church Leaders Join CNP Board's Ministry of Equipping, Advocacy in 2019
The Covenant Network of Presbyterians ispleased to announce a new class of Directors joining its board in 2019. Thisgroup of leaders and influencers from across the PCUSA, together with tencontinuing members of the Board, will guide our ministry of advocacy andequipping in congregations and councils around the country.
“I couldn’t be more excited than to servealongside these faithful, prophetic servants of the church,” said the Rev.Marci Auld Glass, who was elected to serve another term as Moderator of theBoard. “Their history of advocacy, their strengths as preachers and teachersand their passion for transformation will have a real and immediate impact onour organization and on the church.”
The Board will hold its first meeting of the year in January.
TheRev. Dr. Margaret Aymer is the First PresbyterianChurch, Shreveport, D. Thomason Professor of New Testament at AustinPresbyterian Theological Seminary. She is the author or editor of four books, Confessingthe Beatitudes Horizon Bible Study for Presbyterian Women, andother on-line and print short commentary articles. She also edits Horizonsin Biblical Theology. This year, Dr. Aymer celebrates her fifteenth year ofordained ministry and her fourteenth year of marriage to Dr. Laurent M. R. G.Oget, with whom she parents Gabriel Oget, an active and curious pre-schooler.
TheRev. Lucy Forster-Smith began has served since 2018 as SeniorAssociate Pastor for Leadership Development and Adult Education at FourthPresbyterian Church in Chicago. Previously, she was Sedgwick Chaplain to the University andformer Senior Minister in the Memorial Church on the Harvard University campus.Lucy grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in the American Baptist tradition. Shegraduated from the University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota, and received aMaster of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry from Princeton TheologicalSeminary. Prior to her post at Harvard, Dr. Forster-Smith was Campus Ministerat the University of Washington and chaplain at Carroll University (Wisconsin) andMacalester College (Minnesota). Lucy met her husband, Tom Forster-Smith, atPrinceton Theological Seminary. Tom is also ordained as a Teaching Elder in thePC(USA). They have two daughters, one an art teacher and the other an ordainedPC(USA) minister; a son finishing his Ph.D.; a daughter-in-law who teachesfifth grade; and one granddaughter.
TheRev. Matt Gaventa is Senior Pastorat University Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas, and previouslyserved as pastor to Amherst Presbyterian Church in Amherst, Virginia, and aschaplain to Sweet Briar College. Matt is an acclaimed writer and preacher whosework has been featured in Working Preacher, on the Day1 Sermon Broadcast, andin The Christian Century, for whom heco-hosts the podcast Technicolor Jesus.Matt holds degrees from Georgetown University, the University of Iowa, andPrinceton Theological Seminary, and is the 2012 recipient of the David H.C.Read Preacher/Scholar Award from Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church. Hecurrently lives in Austin with his wife Sarah and theirson Charlie.
The Rev. Jenny McDevitt hasserved as Senior Pastor and Head of Staff at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Churchsince April, 2018. Prior to MAPC, Jenny served at Village Presbyterian Churchoutside of Kansas City as Pastor of Pastoral Care for six years. She wasordained at First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she beganin ministry back in 2009. She joined First Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernon,Ohio, not far from Kenyon College, where Jenny earned a degree in creativewriting. That degree is put to good use as she writes liturgy for national conferencesand large gatherings on a regular basis (in addition to every Sunday in NYC).Jenny earned her MDiv from Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia,where she is now a member of the Board. Jenny reads voraciously, runs slowly,hopes relentlessly, and drinks too much coffee. She has two dogs, one of whomaccompanies her to church several times a week. Annie the Puppy excels atpastoral care and stealing staff lunches.
TheRev. Keith Phillips is Associate Pastor for Mission,Youth, Adult Education, and Community Building at First Presbyterian Church ofSalina, Kansas. A native of Newport News, Virginia, Keith is in his first callafter graduating from Columbia Theological Seminary in December 2017. During aseminary journey filled with the support and guidance of friends, family,counselors, mentors, and colleagues that Keith discovered greater inwardwholeness and outward authenticity in his life as a beloved child of God. Thisincluded his coming out as gay to those closest to him in early 2015. Sincethen, he has sought and followed God’s direction in integrating his own journeyinto his understanding of his call. This has led to a greater emphasis onpastoral care in helping everyone claim the love and grace of Jesus Christ ontheir own journeys.
TheRev. Lucy Strong is Associate Director of Admissions and Financial Aidat Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. Previously, Lucy servedas the Presbyterian Campus Minister at UKirk Agnes Scott and the GreaterDecatur Area for the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta. Lucy is a graduate of CTS,where she was president of the student body and recipient of the Robert RameyJr. Church Leadership Award. Lucy and her wife, Sarah, live in Decatur, GA.
Together withthese new directors, these esteemed church leaders are continuing their serviceon the board:
Douglas L.Chial, World Council of Churches, Geneva, Switzerland
The Rev. JohnCleghorn, Caldwell Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC
ElderSam Evans, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, IL
TheRev. Marci Auld Glass,Moderator, Southminster PresbyterianChurch, Boise, ID
TheRev. Chad Andrew Herring,John Knox Presbyterian Kirk, Kansas City, MO
TheRev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, LouisvillePresbyterian Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY
TheRev. Carol M. McDonald, Indianapolis,IN
Elder VincePatton, Central Presbyterian Church, Louisville, KY
TheRev. Patti Snyder, UniversityPresbyterian Church, Baton Rouge, LA
ElderSusan Thornton, Presbytery of Los Ranchos, Anaheim, CA
The Rev.Brian Ellison (ex officio), ExecutiveDirector, Kansas City, MO
