Presbyterian teachers honored

Elaine Barnett is APCE’s ‘Educator of the Year’

by Jerry L. Van Marter

        “All things are possible,” Barnett told the 1,200 people who attended the awards banquet. “Never lose faith in people and congregations, grounded in our faith in Jesus Christ.”

        Three educators were honored with APCE’s Lifetime Achievement Award:

• The Rev. John A. Cairns, a 41-year veteran of educational ministry in the PC(USA), including the Academy of Faith & Life at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. Cairns retired last October and now lives in Sarasota, FL.
  
  
• Martha Stevenson, a native of Statesville, NC, who served as an educator for churches in North Carolina, New York, Virginia and Maryland. She retired in 2004 after 23 years at Memorial Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, NC, where she still lives.
  
  
• The late Jeanne Ferguson Isaacs, who died last fall at age 67. She was active in community affairs in Birmingham, AL, while serving as educator for Independent Presbyterian Church for more than 20 years.
  

        More than 30 PC(USA) educators who had been certified in 2005 also were honored.

        The new Certified Christian Educators are: Heather Bailey, of Bay City, MI; Carroll Bastian (town not listed); Tom Barila, of Richmond, VA; Martha Cherry, of Maitland, FL; Jill Clark, of San Antonio, TX; Mary Beth Eubanks, of Roanoke, VA; Sarah Finnerty, of New York City; Mary Lee Going, of Houston; Archie McCall, of Huntersville, NC; Janice Moody, of Kensington, MD; Carol Murphy, of Great Bend, KS; Karen Nottleman, of Grand Rapids, MI; Lynn Pabst, of Danville, PA; Lisa Patterson, of Denton, TX; Kari Preslar, of Charleston, WV; Lisa Reece, of Dallas; W. Croskeys Royall, of Columbia, SC; Ruth Seiders, of Bethlehem, PA; Kathleen Splitt, of Greensborg, IN; Susan Thompson, of Bel Air, MD; and Sharon Van Pelt, of Kannapolis, NC.

        Newly certified Associate Christian Educators are: Mary Beckhusen, of Sayreville, NJ; Janet Chester, of Sherman, TX; Betty Davenport, of Forest City, NC; Nancy O’Dell, of Port Avenue, CA; Charles “Chip” Pope, of Maryville, TN; Stephanie Saffer, of Mason, OH; Susan Suneson, of Garland, TX; Cheryl Taylor, of Coppell, TX; Kim Trisel, of Farmington, WV; Lisa Watts, of Westlake, OH; and Gayla Zachary, of Austin, TX.