October 25, 2024 - Letter from Session
October 25, 2024
Dear Christ Pres Family,
In our last letter to you, we communicated that we have been looking for a part-time Transition Pastor who would bring consistency, stability, and continuity for our church while the PNC continues its work to search for a full-time pastor. We have been looking for someone with a deep commitment to the Lord, interim pastoring experience, familiarity with Christ Pres, a pastoral heart, and available to serve for at least 3 months with an option to extend if it seems a good fit.
We are pleased to announce that we have offered a part-time transition pastor position to Pastor Richard Haney and he was approved this week by the Ministry Partnership Team (MPT) of our ECO Presbytery. Richard has served as a pastor, mission leader, and interim pastor for many years in the Richmond area. You can learn more about him by reading his biographical sketch at the end of this letter.
Richard has agreed to an initial 3-month commitment beginning on December 1, 2024. His responsibilities will include preaching and providing pastoral care for our congregation. After this 3-month period we can re-evaluate if ongoing transitional pastoring is needed and if Richard is a good fit for us and us for him.
Richard and his wife Pam will join us in worship this coming Sunday, October 27th. Ev will be preaching, and he will introduce Richard and Pam to us. Hopefully, you’ll get a chance to meet and greet.
Richard Haney Biographical Sketch
Richard grew up in North Carolina and received his undergraduate degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and his seminary degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. For 35 years, he served as Associate Pastor, New Church Developer, Pastor and Interim Pastor in Richmond area churches.
He has served these Richmond congregations: Third Church, St Giles Presbyterian (interim), Grace Covenant Presbyterian (interim) and Tuckahoe Presbyterian (interim). He served Fairfield Presbyterian in Mechanicsville and Blue Ridge Presbyterian in Ruckersville, VA as interim minister. He planted and served Swift Creek Presbyterian (Moseley, VA) from 1990--2003.
Richard has led numerous short term mission teams since 1982 to countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Richard studied at the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies and received his PhD in Missiology from Middlesex University, London, in 2014. From 2014 until 2024, Richard led Frontier Fellowship as Executive Director. Frontier Fellowship mobilizes North American churches for frontier mission engagement to bring the Good News to least reached people groups in Asia and Africa. He retired from Frontier Fellowship in May of 2024.
He taught Evangelism at Union Presbyterian Seminary from 2005—2012. He currently teaches Global Christianity to Doctor of Ministry students as adjunct faculty at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts. He has taught mission history in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement classes since 2004. Richard serves on the boards of three mission agencies: The Antioch Partners, The Word Is Out and World Christian Research.
In his leisure time, he enjoys fly-fishing, reading poetry, birding, listening to jazz and gardening. Richard and his wife Pam live in Chesterfield, Virginia; they have three daughters and 9 grandchildren. Richard and Pam have been married 49 years.
Let us know if you have any questions. We love you and are committed to praying for you,
CPC Session of Elders:
Karen Carr, Judy Hounsel, Jeremy McEntire, Makenzie Smith, Kathy Wibberly, Ev Worthington
Moderator: Bob Andrews