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First Presbyterian welcomes family
Published Wednesday, November 4, 2009
We’ve a story to tell to the nations,” so sang the choir. Well maybe our story is not to the nations, but it is for the folks in Natchez.
There is good news at First Presbyterian Church in Natchez. The Rev. Dennison (Denny) Read and his wife, the Rev. Noelle H. Read have accepted the call to the First Presbyterian Church.
The co-pastors bring experience, inspiration, enthusiasm and a 4-year-old son Ethan to the First Presbyterian Church in Natchez.
Denny Read is an Atlanta native and a graduate of The Citadel. He has a bachelor of arts degree in English. He has a master of divinity degree from Columbia Seminary. This ministry included a summer internship in Kenya. He has completed a multi-year clinical pastoral education program and chaplain residency at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis. He has served the past seven years at South Highland Presbyterian Church in Birmingham. One of his accomplishments was redesigning the new member class and to work for more effective outreach to the surrounding community.
Noelle is a native of Anderson, S.C. She has a bachelor of arts degree in history. She has worked in the insurance industry, and she became a PCUSA mission volunteer. This led to an assignment in London where she ministered to the elderly and mentally ill. Upon her return, she entered Columbia Seminary. She has served as Chaplain for the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Upon completion of the Basic clinical pastoral education program at Walter Reed Army Hospital, she was ordained in the summer of 1999. She has served a 3,800-member suburban congregation in Indianapolis. She has served a youth director, director of youth ministries and co-pastor at South Highland Presbyterian Church in Birmingham.
She has planned and implemented educational programs for young singles and young families.
The congregation at First Presbyterian in Natchez was established more than 200 years ago. The beautiful church has a remarkable history. There have been many events at First Presbyterian that have been important not only to the church members, but also to the citizens of Natchez. Dr. Joseph Stratton served the congregation for more than 50 years and the chapel bears his name. History is being made again when Denny and Noelle settle in Natchez as co-pastors at First Presbyterian. The congregation is anxiously awaiting their arrival.
Let us welcome Denny, Noelle and Ethan with a big Natchez welcome. Join us when the Reads will be bringing the good news at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Joan McLemore is the chairman of the evangelism committee at First Presbyterian Church.
Comments
Posted by EnKiKur (Marty Ellerbe) on November 4, 2009 at 4:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Welcome Denny, Noelle, and Ethan, to Natchez from the folks up in Jefferson County.
Be sure to come visit, and see the new ethanol refinery being operated by the nuns at January Hermitage.
Just follow the signs that say:
"Feeling lost, without direction?"
"Don't know which way to go?"
"Put a little Predestination in your tank,"
"Presbethanol"
Then turn at the arrow sign, the Sisters of Cannonsburg Presbyterians for Progress will come let you in.
disclaimer:
Presbethanol is for motor vehicle use only. The Sisters of Cannonsburg assume no liability for any other application.
Presbethanol is aged in charred oak barrels to ensure the highest performance, most clean burning fuel for your vehicle. Distributed in 1, 5, 10, and 42 gallon containers.
Posted by EnKiKur (Marty Ellerbe) on November 4, 2009 at 5:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mr. Read:
"Duty, Honor, Mississippi"
We are extremely pleased to have a Citadel graduate so close to Jefferson County, and look forward to guiding you in continuing your journey of whole person realization. You are almost there, patience will perfect.
Posted by EnKiKur (Marty Ellerbe) on November 4, 2009 at 8:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a very cool story. Leave it to Presbyterian innovation to have a husband and wife co-pastor. God did say "go forth and be fruitful" and that's hard to do when pastoring alone. Presbyterians are generally loved everywhere, but this makes them even more lovable.
I almost became a Presbyterian, my grandparents were, but their pastor tried to play the "greedy monkey trick" on me in church one Sunday by offering me some peppermints in a jar with a narrow neck. The idea was that I, six year old dummy, would grasp so many that I would not be able to pull my hand out. But I only got one, because I was taught right, but everyone still laughed and it embarrassed me because I was painfully shy in those days.
Twice I was baptized by a competing brand, and the second baptizing washed all the institutionalized religion out of me. I still fondly think of that little Presbyterian Church out at Greenwood, that has been stolen by some ruthless parties and can no longer be found at Canonsburg, and wish I could go back to those days and bask in the love of my grandparents, bumping down the gravel roads in that old 57 Chevy Apache truck on the way to church those beautiful spring mornings.
Having been de-institutionalized I became a Deist, like Thomas Jefferson, who Jefferson County is named for, and have speculated that the home is a temple, and that husband and wife represent the male and female aspects of the Creator, and that from their love issues the expansion of creation through their children.
Given my Deist philosophy, how much more fitting could it be than that husband and wife together serve in the Creator's house? And with child as well. It's a perfect recreation of what the Creator has ordained.
If anyone knows what happened to that church, please contact the FBI. I have filed a missing church report with them but so far no leads.
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