Dear Friends!
It is with great joy I bring word that your Executive Presbyter Nominating Committee has identified its nominee! After a ten-month search that began with a potential pool of 98 candidates representing 31 presbyteries, we spent untold hours in reading, conversation, and prayer, conducted fifteen Skype interviews and three site visits, before we unanimously voted to invite the Reverend Ruth Santana-Grace to be our nominee for Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of Philadelphia. She has accepted that invitation and the Leadership Collegium has called for a meeting of the Presbytery to occur on Thursday, October 24 at Thompson Memorial Presbyterian Church to act upon that recommendation.
A native of New York City, Ruth was ordained in 1994. She has served as the Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of San Gabriel for the past eight years, bringing energy and a pastor’s heart to her work. She possesses an abiding trust in Jesus Christ, and a clear track record of building bridges across diverse theologies and cultures. A cradle Presbyterian, she grew-up in one of the largest Hispanic Presbyterian congregations in NYC. Her father was a New Church Development Pastor and her husband served for 15 years as Pastor at the First Presbyterian Church, Hokendauqua, PA. This experience along with her work as EP has given her a clear appreciation for the blessings and challenges experienced by both small and larger churches. Prior to her time in San Gabriel, she served as Associate Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Bethlehem, PA, from 1993 until 2005.
The EPNC is finalizing a mailing now that will tell you more about Ruth and the reasons we believe she is the one God has prepared for this time and place. That packet will include an introductory brochure, her statement of faith, and the proposed terms of compensation. It should be mailed by the end of next week, but I wanted you to know of our news now so that you can make plans to join us.
On the 24th, we will begin with an informal time from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. for you to meet and share in conversation with Ruth. The meeting itself will begin at 11:00 a.m. After a time of worship, I will walk the Presbytery through the process we took in leading us to this point and the reasons for our decision, formally move that Ruth be received as a member of our presbytery and elected to a five-year term as Executive Presbyter. Our moderator will open the floor for your questions of Ruth or me. We will then vote by paper ballot. Should the Presbytery concur in these motions, Ruth would begin her service as our Executive Presbyter on February 1, 2014.
The committee gives thanks for the leading of the Holy Spirit throughout this process and the steadfast encouragement received from all of you. We are confident that Ruth has the faith, gifts, and enthusiasm to lead our Presbytery with creativity and strength in this time of opportunity and change. I look forward to sharing in the events of the 24th with you and discovering all that God has in mind for this special part of the body of Christ as we move into the future together.
Faithfully yours,
John M. Willingham, Chair, EPNC