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[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>]

Note #8249 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

04250
May 26, 2004

Notes about people

by Jerry L. Van Marter

	The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) has announced that the Rev.
Clifton Kirkpatrick, the stated clerk of the General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church (USA), is the winner of its 2004 E.H. Johnson Memorial
Trust Fund Award "for service on the
cutting edge of mission." The award will be presented at the PCC's annual
Mission Luncheon on June 8 during the denomination's General Assembly in
Oshawa, Ontario.

	Kirkpatrick is being honored for his vocal opposition to the Iraq war
and
for his peacemaking efforts, and for championing the Taco Bell boycott to
improve working conditions for U.S. farmworkers.

	Kirkpatrick is the third member of the PC(USA) to receive the
Canadian church's award in its 22-year history. Previous winners included the
Rev. Glenda Hope (1991) for work on behalf of the poor in San Francisco's
Tenderloin district, and the Rev. John Fife of Tucson for his work on behalf
of Central American refugees along the U.S.-Mexico border.

	The award was created to honor the work and missionary spirit of the
late Rev. Edward (Ted) Johnson, who for many years was secretary for overseas
missions of the Presbyterian Church in Canada.

		     # # #

	Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary has named Kerry E. Rice
director of admissions. Rice, a Colorado native, had been serving as interim
admissions director at the seminary. Before that he directed the National
Young Adult Volunteers program for the PC(USA) in Louisville.

# # #

	Teresa Blythe, a writer whose interests include religion and popular
culture, will be the featured speaker at the June 27 General Assembly Media
Lunch in Richmond, VA. The luncheon is sponsored by the Pittsburgh-based
Presbyterian Media Mission.

	Blythe will be pinch hitting for actor Eric Close, a star of the hit
television series "Without a Trace," who had to cancel. Blythe interviewed
Close for the May 2004 edition of Presbyterians Today magazine.

	Blythe will speak on the topic "Meeting God in Virtual Reality: Using
Spiritual Practices with Media."

	A 2000 graduate of San Francisco Theological Seminary, Blythe has
worked as a broadcast journalist and is the author of several books about
media literacy and the intersection of faith and media. She is on the staff
of two Presbyterian churches in Tucson and continues to write and teach.

		       # # #

	The Association of Stated Clerks has awarded the second annual C.
Fred Jenkins Constitutional Services Award to the Rev. James M. MacKellar.

	The association chose elected Mr. MacKellar for his long service and
dedication to the polity and government of the church. Six years after his
1955 ordination in the Presbytery of Morris and Orange, he began his work for
governing bodies as the journal clerk of Binghamton (later Susquehanna
Valley) Presbytery. He has since served as clerk in Newton Presbytery, the
Synod of the Northeast and Northern New England Presbytery. Since 1991 he has
served at the General Assembly level, on the Permanent Judicial Commission
and the Advisory Committee on the Constitution.

	The award will be presented at the Stated Clerk's Lunch for higher
governing body staff during the 216th General Assembly in Richmond.

	Fred Jenkins, who died unexpectedly in 2000, served the church in
many capacities during his ministry, the last 10 years as an associate stated
clerk of the General Assembly. In his honor and memory, the award is given
each year to an individual or a group that has given wise, prudent and
vigilant support to the Constitution and polity of the Presbyterian Church
(USA).

			# # #

	The Rev. Judith M.H. Hockenberry has been named associate for
curriculum development for children in the Congregational Ministries
Publishing office of the Congregational Ministries Division in Louisville.
She began her new work on May 17.

	Her primary responsibility is leading the development and editing of
We Believe curricula for children.

	A graduate of Augustana College in Illinois and Princeton Theological
Seminary, Hockenberry has been involved in Christian education throughout her
17 years of pastoral ministry. Most recently she served as co-pastor of
Beulah Presbyterian Church in Louisville with her husband, Ken.

		       # # #

	Presbyterian elder Claire Abel, a longtime leader in the Synod of
Alaska-Northwest, died unexpectedly while mowing his lawn in Centralia, WA,
on May 10. He was 79.

	Abel, a juvenile court administrator for 33 years prior to his
retirement, served as moderator of Central Washington and Olympia
presbyteries. He was instrumental in establishing Tall Timber Presbyterian
Family Camp, a joint venture of North Puget Sound and Central Washington
presbyteries. At the time of his death he was on the synod's vision committee
and working as a full-time volunteer administrator for his home congregation,
First Presbyterian Church of Centralia.

      Abel is survived by his wife of 57 years, Bernita; their four children;
and six grandchildren and two great grandchildren. A memorial service was
held at First church on May 15.

		    # # #

	The Rev. Daniel L. Force, executive director of the Medical
Benevolence Foundation (MBF), has announced that he will delay his retirement
from this spring until Sept. 1.

	He said financial and other issues that arose during a recent meeting
of MBF's board of directors prompted him to stay on for a few months longer
than intended.

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