Stated Clerk Nomination Committee announces its nominee

Gradye Parsons is committee’s choice for Stated Clerk of the General Assembly

LOUISVILLE, April 3, 2008 – The Rev. Gradye Parsons has been selected by the Stated Clerk Nomination Committee as its nominee for Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

“Guided by a strong faith in Jesus Christ and a deep love of the church in general and the PC(USA) in particular, Gradye Parsons brings a wonderful blend of experiences and creative leadership to successfully fill the position of Stated Clerk,” said Steve Grace, an elder, member of the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly and chairperson of the nomination committee.

“Gradye has led the way in changing from annual to biennial General Assemblies and encouraging the church to explore tools of discernment and other innovative ways of decision-making. The committee was excited to hear about his vision to revitalize elder leadership in the church, which began with the first-ever national elders conference last August.”

Parsons has served as associate stated clerk of the General Assembly for the past eight years. In that role, he has been the director of operations for the Office of the General Assembly (OGA), including director of OGA’s General Assembly Meeting Services department.

Parsons has staffed a number of General Assembly committees. He spearheaded the development of a review process for each of the six agencies of the PC(USA) and staffed five of the six committees that conducted the reviews, with the exception being the review committee for OGA.
 
Before his national church responsibilities, Parsons served as pastor of two churches in Tennessee for fifteen years. He was executive presbyter and stated clerk of Holston Presbytery for six years.

Grace noted, “Gradye brings a broad knowledge of the church, as well as a breadth of experience – from a pastoral perspective and a middle governing body leadership position.”

Responding to the committee’s decision, Parsons said, “I am humbled and excited to be asked to serve the PC(USA) as Stated Clerk of the General Assembly. This church matters, not only within the PC(USA), but as part of the larger body of Christ. I look forward to the opportunities to be both a leader and a learner in this new call.”

The Stated Clerk Nomination Committee was elected by the General Assembly in 2006 in Birmingham, Ala. The nine members include four past General Assembly commissioners, three individuals from the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly, a representative from the General Assembly Council and a representative of middle governing body staff.

Since its election, the committee has overseen a churchwide application process that resulted in 14 applications being submitted and reviewed by the committee. Telephone interviews were held with all of the applicants. The committee then held face-to-face interviews with five of the applicants.

“Our committee has been through a marvelous discernment process,” said Grace. “We truly felt God’s presence with us on our journey. All the applicants had many gifts for ministry, but it is very clear to all of us that Gradye Parsons is the person we believe is being called by God to serve as Stated Clerk of the General Assembly.”

“We enthusiastically endorse his nomination.”

All of the applicants not selected by the nomination committee have until 45 days prior to this year’s General Assembly (deadline of May 7) to notify the committee that they intend to stand for Stated Clerk as well. The Standing Rules of the General Assembly require that persons wishing to stand for the position of Stated Clerk in addition to the committee’s nominee must have submitted an application to the committee by last December’s deadline and have gone through the committee’s process.

The Stated Clerk is an officer of the General Assembly, leader of the Office of the General Assembly staff, spokesperson for the church as directed by the General Assembly and permanent ecumenical representative for the church.

The Stated Clerk is elected to a four-year term. The current Stated Clerk, the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, chose not to seek re-election after three four-year terms in office.

The election of the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly will be held at this year’s Assembly meeting, June 21-27, in San Jose, Calif.

If elected, Parsons will assume his duties no later than thirty days after the General Assembly.

In addition to Steve Grace, an elder from Beulah, Mich., members of the Stated Clerk Nomination Committee are elders Tom Adger (Atlanta, Ga.), Pamila Deichmann (Winterset, Iowa), and Joan Fong (Fremont, Calif.); and ministers Anna Case-Winters (Chicago, Ill.), Helen Baily Cochrane (Bethlehem, Pa.), Lyle Hillegas (Santa Barbara, Calif.,), John Purcell (Dallas, Texas), and Donnie Woods (Charleston, S.C.). The staff resource to the committee is Carol McDonald (Synod of Lincoln Trails, Indianapolis, Ind.).
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