wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Jeffrey Lawrence named publisher of Presbyterians Today

[newsservice <newsservice@PCUSA.ORG>]

You are currently subscribed to the PCUSANEWS

email list of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

To ensure continued delivery, please add newsservice@pcusa.org
to your address book or safe senders list.

========================================

This story available online:

www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/09028<http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/09028

Jeffrey Lawrence named publisher of Presbyterians Today

New Yorker brings business and pastoral ministry experience
to new job

by Jerry L. Van Marter Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE ― Jeffrey Lawrence, a New Yorker whose working
life has taken him from law to real estate to advertising
to parish ministry, has been named publisher of
Presbyterians Today magazine. He began his new work on Jan.
5.

"I think I bring a unique perspective to the magazine as a
seasoned businessman and Christian minister," Lawrence told
the Presbyterian News Service in an interview.
"Presbyterians Today is a critical mission of Christ's
church and I knew as soon as I applied that this was the
right fit for me."

Eva G. Stimson continues as editor of the magazine, with
John Sniffen as associate editor.

Lawrence was raised Jewish in New York City around the
world of publishing ― his father was one of the co-founders
of the prestigious Harry N. Abrams art book publishing
house. He studied economics and finance at New York
University and received a law degree from Georgetown
University in Washington.

His interest in Christianity was sparked when his partners
in an advertising agency asked him to be godfather of their
daughter. "I took it very seriously and helped her learn
her Catholic catechism," Lawrence recalled, "and Jesus kind
of slipped in the side door." Lawrence converted to
Christianity in 1989.

"But I felt quickly that I was being called to something
deeper," he said, and in 1992 entered Mount St. Mary's
Seminary in Maryland and was ordained to the priesthood in
1996. During the next 12 years he served as pastor of
several parishes in central Illinois.

"The last four or five years I've felt pretty battered by
all the stuff going on in the Catholic church and have been
pretty put off by increasingly exclusionary dogma," he
said. "I wanted to continue to contribute to the Lord's
service but didn't know how."

Lawrence said he also thought he could always "fall back"
on his previous experience in law, advertising and
publishing, but then the Presbyterians Today opportunity
offered him the chance to combine his business skills with
ministry. "Suddenly, I no longer feel like a square peg in
a round hole," he said.

Jon Brown, director for Mission Interpretation in the
General Assembly's Communications and Funds Development
ministry area, agrees.

"Jeffrey brings to the magazine a creative entrepreneurial
spirit mixed with a unique theological and pastoral
sensitivity. His responsibilities will include strategic
visioning, business and staff management, and shaping the
magazine to be a flagship media venue for sharing the
mission and ministry of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to
an ever-growing audience. We expect great things from
Jeffrey and the magazine in this exciting time in the life
of the church."

========================================

You are currently subscribed to the PCUSANEWS

email list of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

To unsubscribe, send a blank message to

mailto:PCUSANEWS-unsubscribe-request@halak.pcusa.org.

To update your email address, send your old email address
and your new one to
mailto:PCUSANEWS-request@halak.pcusa.org.

>For questions or comments, send an email to
>mailto:PCUSANEWS-request@halak.pcusa.org.

To learn more, visit http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/

>Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
>100 Witherspoon Street
>Louisville, KY 40202
>(888) 728-7228