Kristen Thomas - Clarke
When Kristen Thomas-Clarke informed me last August that she found a library position with the Kimberton Waldorf School, I was very sorry that she would be stepping down as our Director of Christian Education. Although she was not trained as a Christian educator, Kristen was competent and organized. From VBS to the Sunday School Program, she always had the best interests of our children and youth in mind. Ardmore Presbyterian Church is immensely grateful for the work that she did here. Nonetheless, Kristen had been waiting to find a library position for a long time. This is a great opportunity for her to use her talents to the fullest.
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Anne Foote
In order to prevent the loss of momentum in our ministry, we approached Anne Foote to serve as an interim director. Currently the director of APC's Preschool, Anne has also served as Director of Christian Education in the past, and she was gracious enough to agree. She has worked very hard these last few months, especially considering that her husband Gren had some health issues during the same time. Anne is incredibly creative, and she brought that excitement and whimsy to the job. The Ardmore Presbyterian Church is especially thankful for the time and effort she gave to our youngest members. |
An Opportunity and a Difficult Decision
Rather than simply filling the position, the Christian Education Committee and the session took a wiser course. They considered the vacancy as an opportunity to step out in faith. They redefined the position, looking at how we could expand our ministry to children and youth. During the recent stewardship campaign, several members of the congregation increased their giving in support of this decision. I am very grateful that this congregation remains invested in these ministries.
After redefining and securing funding for the position, we had the hard task of finding the right person for the job. We reached out to potential candidates through our newsletter, the Philadelphia Presbytery, Eastern University and Palmer Seminary. We had a number of qualified candidates who applied, including some from our congregation. We should be thankful that our congregation has such a wealth of talented people. The decision was a difficult one, but we have hired Patty Rich as our new Director of Children and Youth Ministries. |
Patty Rich
Patty has served as a ruling elder at the Marple Presbyterian Church in Newtown Square. She is also finishing her Masters of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. Prior to her training at the seminary, she served as a middle school and high school teacher at Marple Newtown School District. Over the years she has also volunteered her time working with youth in extracurricular activities such as directing musicals and producing dramas. Patty is married, and she has three adult children. |
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