More valuable than a piece of paper

Elizabeth Lovell, a senior at Union Theological Seminary-Presbyterian School of Christian Education. Photo by Emily Odom.Meeting “Face to Face” makes all the difference

by Emily Enders Odom
Associate for Mission Communications
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

San Antonio, Texas, January 30, 2009 – Crisscrossing the Exhibit Hall at the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) Annual Conference here, Elizabeth Lovell could sense her excitement mounting.

Lovell, a senior in the dual M.Div./M.A.C.E. degree program at Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond, Virginia, had at least one new reason this year for attending the annual gathering for educators for the fifth consecutive time.  She is now seeking a full-time call to ministry.

“Since I already love being at APCE,” Lovell said, “having an opportunity to talk face to face with congregations that value education made my attendance at the event even more meaningful this year.  Because APCE is a place where Christian education is celebrated, it gets me energized about the ministry to which I am called.” 

Lovell, who first registered with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Church Leadership Connection (CLC) at the end of November 2008, took special note this year of the opportunity to meet church representatives “Face to Face,” a regular feature of the APCE event.  CLC is the internet-based matching and referral system of the PC(USA), in which congregations, presbyteries, synods, educational institutions and other Presbyterian entities seeking leaders for ministry positions are connected with pastors, Christian educators, administrators, executives and other church professionals seeking a call to service within the PC(USA).

“You can only read so much on paper,” said Lovell, “but when you talk face to face, the church becomes alive and real.”

The Rev. Ivan Herman, associate pastor at Balmoral Presbyterian Church in Memphis, Tennessee, was similarly drawn to this year’s APCE conference by the presence of the Face to Face event here.  Herman, himself a previous attendee, had not initially planned to return to the conference, intending to spend his study leave in a different way.  When he learned, however, that waning finances at Balmoral would require the church to eliminate the associate pastor position effective June 30, 2009, he changed his mind.

“Although Face to Face was certainly influential in my decision to attend APCE, I wasn’t sure what to expect,” Herman said. “There’s a certain mystery to it.  As I was hoping and praying that the Holy Spirit would connect me with churches that I might not otherwise have thought of, I was also praying that the churches seeking pastors here might see something in a candidate whom they otherwise wouldn’t have considered.”

Herman said that Balmoral has been extremely supportive in helping him to be placed, encouraging him to seek out such opportunities for interpersonal contact.  “Anything can happen when you meet face to face,” he added. “It’s a much more valuable interaction than a piece of paper.”

Jewel McRae resources the Rev. Ivan Herman at the APCE Face to Face event. Photo by Emily Odom.For Herman, the “Face to Face” was a “good, positive, well-run experience.” Upon his arrival in San Antonio, he was quickly able to locate all of the information on those churches which had sent representatives to the APCE event, thanks to the work of on-site coordinator, Jewel McRae, associate for CLC Administration and Racial Ethnic Referral.  He then had an opportunity to call all of the congregations that had been recommended to him and set up interviews.

“Because I went to a United Methodist seminary, I don’t have the same natural connections that others have through the Presbyterian-related seminaries,” Herman said.  “It’s at events like this where I can build networks of Presbyterian connections.”

Making connections at the APCE “Face to Face” was also important to Kellen Smith, a member of the associate pastor search committee at First Presbyterian Church, Delray Beach, Florida. Smith, a former youth ministry worker who is now a first year student at Princeton Theological Seminary, was his committee’s choice to make the trip.

“When we first saw the electronic flier advertising ‘Face to Face,’ what immediately appealed to us was the chance to meet and interview several potential candidates in a short period of time,” Smith said.  “The process flowed very smoothly and the staff seemed really excited about matching people and churches.”

Church Leadership Connection will be hosting another “Face to Face” in 2009 at the Big Tent, a first-of-its-kind denominational gathering scheduled for June 11-13, 2009, in Atlanta.

“Being open to the Holy Spirit and the opportunity that the denomination provides through ‘Face to Face’ has eased our committee’s work considerably and broadened its scope,” said Smith. “It is my hope that other committees and seekers will be inspired to take advantage of this helpful resource."