wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Notes about people

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>]

Note #8836 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

05411
August 10, 2005

Notes about people

by Jerry L. Van Marter

	Alan F.H. Wisdom, an elder at Georgetown Presbyterian Church in
Washington, DC, has been named interim president of the Institute on Religion
and Democracy, a conservative think tank and advocacy organization. He
succeeds Diane Knippers, who died of cancer in April.

	Wisdom, the IRD's vice-president, has worked for the institute since
1985. Since 1990 he has been director of its Presbyterian subsidiary,
Presbyterian Action for Faith and Freedom., formerly Presbyterians for
Democracy and Religious Freedom. He most recently served on a PC(U.S.A.) task
force that revised an Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy paper on
the changing nature of family life in the United States. Wisdom had been
sharply critical of an earlier version of the report, which was adopted by
the 216th General Assembly (2004) in Richmond, VA.

# # #

	The Rev. Marvin Williams, pastor of Northeastern Presbyterian Church
in Washington, DC, has been named Chaplain of the Year by the United States
Air Force. Williams, a member of National Capital Presbytery, is an Air Force
reservist.

# # #

	Maggie "Potsy" McLaughlin, one of the oldest Presbyterians in the
country, died on June 8 at age 106.

	McLaughlin, a native of Italy, TX, joined Park Presbyterian Church
there when she married Charles McLaughlin in 1925. He died in 1979. Services
were held at Park church on June 10. 

# # #

The Rev. Jim Berkley, director of issues ministries for Presbyterians For
Renewal (PFR), has resigned, effective Oct. 1. 
 
	A former associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue,
WA, Berkeley has served with PFR for three years. He continues to live in
Bellevue.

# # #

	Jonathan T.M. Reckford, executive pastor of Christ Presbyterian
Church in Edina, MN, has been named Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Habitat
for Humanity International. 

	Before going to the 4,300-member Christ church, Reckford, who is not
ordained, was in senior management at a number of large corporations,
including Best Buy, Circuit City and Disney Design and Development. It was
that solid business experience plus his sense of Christian call to Habitat's
ministry that appealed to Habitat's leaders, according to former U.S.
President Jimmy Carter.

	Reckford is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill and earned an MBA from Stanford University. He and his wife, Ashley, are
longtime supporters of Habitat.
 
	 Christian ministry dedicated to eliminating substandard housing. It
is the 17th-largest house-builder in the United States and the 18th-largest
non-profit.

# # #

	The Women's Ministries Program Area in the National Ministries
Division has added several new staff members.

	On Aug. 15, Kelsey Rice will become associate for the National
Network of Presbyterian College Women (NNPCW). She has served previously as
an intern and as a program assistant.
  
      Effective Sept. 6, Bridgett Green will become associate for Racial
Ethnic Young Women Together (REYWT), the PC(USA)'s effort to build a network
of racial-ethnic young women and create leadership opportunities for them in
the church. Green, a recent graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, is a
candidate under the care of Charlotte Presbytery.
 
      Also effective Sept. 6, Cherie Harper will become program associate for
Presbyterian Women (PW) Synod Support. Harper, a spring graduate of
Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, will provide services at the
synod level in leadership training, mission interpretation and education.

	On Sept. 19, Molly Casteel, a spring graduate of Princeton
Theological Seminary, will become associate for Women's Advocacy. Casteel's
new work includes providing staff support to the Advocacy Committee on
Women's Concerns and developing a network focused on issues of justice and
women, and working with ecumenical partners.

	Also on Sept. 19, Heather Grantham will begin work as an intern for
Women's Advocacy.  Grantham, who has spent the opast year as a mission
volunteer in the Philippines, will oversee Threads of Justice, the Women's
Advocacy newsletter, and will maintain and promote the Women's Advocacy
library.

# # #
	
	The Rev. Joanna Adams, pastor of Morningside Presbyterian Church in
Atlanta, preached at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, on July 17, in
celebration of "Georgia Day." Leading worship with Adams was the Rt.
Rev.Henry Louttit, the Episcopal Bishop of Georgia.

# # #

      The Rev. Marissa L. Galvàn-Valle has been named Associate for Resources
and Relationships with Hispanic Constituencies for Congregational Ministries
Publishing in the Congregational Ministries Division. She began her new work
on Aug. 1.

      Galvàn-Valle, a fourth-generation Presbyterian, graduated from the
University of Puerto Rico and the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico. She
has served a number of pastorates in Puerto Rico.

# # #

	Congregational Ministries Publishing has also announced the
appointment of Tina Lawson as associate for print coordination. She started
her new work on Aug. 1.

	Lawson, a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University with a degree in
graphic design, has extensive experience in print purchasing, marketing,
advertising and art direction, and has won awards for direct-mail campaigns.

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