Faith Formation for Ministers
“Will you seek to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love?”
A newly ordained minister is quickly humbled by the challenge of keeping this vow. Many important questions of ministry are raised only after ministers have experienced the real life demands of local congregations. Finding guidance and resources then becomes a priority.
The Kittye Susan Trent Symposium for Newly Ordained Ministers, co-sponsored by Second Presbyterian Church and Union Presbyterian Seminary, is a congregation-based continuing education event for newly ordained ministers that seeks to provide mentors, peer relationships and effective resources for ministry. The symposium, first held in 2008, is designed to address the gap between seminary and parish. The symposium is held on the site of a vital congregation in the PC(USA) and draws on the leadership of experienced ministers (one who serves on the UPSem faculty) and laypeople with particular expertise to offer.
Because selected participants will be those who show promise to serve a church of any size, the focus of the symposium will not be restricted to their current calls.
The symposium is made possible by a grant from the Kittye Susan Trent Fund of Second Presbyterian Church which was established for theological education through a bequest by John Trent in memory of his daughter.
Roster of Past Participants
2024 Symposium Participants
- John Daniel DeBevoise, First Presbyterian Church, Spartanburg, SC
- Rachel Fitch, First Presbyterian Church, Greensboro, NC
- Esther Hethcox, First Presbyterian Church, Durham, NC
- Jonathan Moelker, Campbell Memorial Presbyterian Church, Roanoke, VA
- Alexandra Pappas, First Presbyterian Church, Shreveport, LA
- Gracie Payne, Second Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, IN
- Ally Pexa, First Presbyterian Church, Greer, SC
- Natalie Raygor, First Presbyterian Church, Wilmington, NC
2023 Symposium Participants
- Lex Allum, First Presbyterian Church, Paducah, KY
- Nick Demuynck, Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Columbia, SC
- Savannah Demuynck, Lake Murray Presbyterian Church, Chapin, SC
- Brett Gudeman, First Presbyterian Church, Huntsville, AL
- Teresa Larson, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Milwakee, WI
- Alexandra Jacob, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis, MI
- Molly Ramsey, Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
- Julia Watkins, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Greenville, SC
2022 Symposium Participants
- Annie Franklin Arvin, St. Simons Presbyterian Church, St. Simons Island, GA
- Brian Ballard, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, Bryn Mawr, PA
- Ben Brannan, Second Presbyterian Church, Roanoke, VA
- Isabella Fagiani, Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church, Roanoke, VA
- Karl Heimbuck, First Presbyterian Church, Sheridan, WY
- Linda Marilyn Kurtz, First Presbyterian Church, Lexington, KY
- Alexander (Alex) Lester-Abdalla, Morrisville Presbyterian Church, Morrisville, PA
- Meghan (Meg) Vail, Community Presbyterian Church, Pinehurst, NC
2019 Symposium Participants
- Richard Aylor, First Presbyterian Church, Wilmington, NC
- Lynne Taylor Clements, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Charlottesville, VA
- Landon Dillard, Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church, Rock Hill, SC
- Lara Musser Gritter, First Presbyterian Church of Salisbury, Salisbury, NC
- Kari Olson, East Falls Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PA
- Rosy Robson, First Presbyterian Church of Richardson, Richardson, TX
- Katy Walters, New Braunfels Presbyterian Church, New Braunfels, TX
- Mike Weiglein, Meadows Presbyterian Church, Charlottesville, VA
2018 Symposium Participants
- Melanie Marsh Baum, Church of the Covenant, Cleveland, OH
- Joshua Musser Gritter, First Presbyterian Church, Greensboro, NC
- Leslie Lang, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Greenville, SC
- Seth Lovell, Olivet Presbyterian Church, Charlottesville, VA
- Patrick McElwaine, Clemmons Presbyterian Church, Clemmons, NC
- Molly Spangler, Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA
- Brittany Tamminga, The Presbyterian Church, Fredericksburg, VA
- Anna George Traynham, Central Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, GA
2017 Symposium Participants
- Matt Bowman, Maysville Presbyterian Church and New Store Presbyterian Church, Buckingham, VA
- Daniel Ervin, First Presbyterian Church, Ann Arbor, MI
- Miriam Foltz, Presbyterian Campus Ministry at, Washington University & St. Louis UniversitySt. Louis, MO
- Claire George-Drumheller, Davidson College Presbyterian Church, Davidson, NC
- Ridgley Beckett Joyner, Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church, Mount Pleasant, SC
- Andy Philip Morgan, UKirk at the University of Tennessee, in Knoxville, and GeekWorks, (1001 New Worshipping Community), Knoxville, TN
- Sarah Morgan, Lake Hills Presbyterian Church, Knoxville, TN
- Rachel Thompson, Second Presbyterian Church, Roanoke, VA
- Sudie E. Niesen Thompson, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Wilmington, DE
2016 Symposium Participants
- Jay Atkinson, Wilmington, NC
- Matt Drumheller, Albemarle, NC
- Meg Lindsay Dudley, Tupelo, MS
- Chris Lee, Charlotte, NC
- Rachel Shepherd, Little Rock, AR
- Ann Henley Saunders, Atlanta, GA
- Drew Stockstill, Atlanta, GA
- Cam Thomas, Myrtle Beach, SC
2015 Symposium Participants
- Erin Kesterson Bowers, High Point, NC
- Emily Chudy, Downingtown, PA
- Ben George, Minerva, OH
- Rachel Helgeson, Mt. Vernon, IL
- Samantha Sale Hudson, Philadelphia, PA
- Jim Lunde, Knoxville, TN
- Christin Johnson Norman, Woodland, CA
- Emma Ouellette, Northville, MI
2014 Symposium Participants
- Caitlin Deyerle, Richmond, VA
- Howard Dudley, Tupelo, MS
- Alan Dyer, St. Simons Island, GA
- Jay Howell, Memphis, TN
- Dawn Martin Hyde, San Francisco, CA
- David A. Jones II, Columbia, SC
- Clare Lozano, Olathe, KS
- Bart Smith, Roanoke, VA
2013 Symposium Participants
- Taylor Lewis Guthrie Hartman, Durham, NC
- Caroline Anderson Jinkins, Virginia Beach, VA
- Jeremy M. Jinkins, Virginia Beach, VA
- Emily Miller, Christiansburg, VA
- Matthew Ruffner, Atlanta, GA
- Andrew Thompson Scales, Davidson, NC
- Elizabeth Smith, Roanoke, VA
- Elizabeth Smith-Bartlett, New Canaan, CT
2012 Symposium Participants
- Mary Kathleen Duncan, Rocky Mount, NC
- Elizabeth Howell, Roanoke, VA
- Jenny McDevitt, Virginia Beach, VA
- Melissa McNair-King, Bentonville, AR
- Gail Monsma, Richmond, VA
- Rachel Achtemeier Rhodes, Haddon Township, NJ
- Josh Robinson, Roanoke, VA
- Andrew Whaley, Jefferson City, TN
- Michael York, Clover, SC
2011 Symposium Participants
- Ryan Baer, West Palm Beach, FL
- Keith Benze, Henderson, NC
- Heidi Bolt, Redmond, OR
- Adam Bowling, Morganton, NC
- Dwight Christenbury, Black Mountain, NC
- Katelyn Gordon, Charlotte, NC
- Lori Archer Raible, Charlotte, NC
- Jessica Tate, Fairfax, VA
2010 Symposium Participants
- Garrett Andrew, Albany, GA
- Tom Bryson, Columbus, MS
- Peter Bynum, Rocky Mount, NC
- Dan Lewis, Statesboro, GA
- Rob McClellan, Bryn Mawr, PA
- Emily Owen, Matthews, NC
- Casey Thompson, Memphis, TN
- Emily Zeig, Waterford, PA
2009 Symposium Participants
- Allen Brimer, First Presbyterian Church, Somerset, KY
- Helen Harrison Coker, Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church, Lexington, SC
- Chris Currie, Calypso Presbyterian Church, Calypso, NC
- Darryl Evans, First Presbyterian Church, Washington, NC
- Leigh Jones, Presbyterian Church of the Resurrection, Conyers, GA
- Luke Maybry, Central Steele Creek Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC
- Amy Starr Redwine, Firestone Park Presbyterian Church, Akron, OH
- Buz Wilcoxon, Greenville, SC
2008 Symposium Participants
- Christopher L. Crotwell, New Providence Presbyterian Church, Raphine, VA
- Katie Cummings, Clear Lake Presbyterian Church, Houston, TX
- Amos Disasa, Eastminster Presbyterian Church, Columbia, SC
- Nathaniel Phillips, Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church, Hockessin, DE
- Dean Pogue, First Presbyterian Church, Pasadena, TX
- Vicki Poole, First Presbyterian Church, Prestonsburg, KY
- Brian Snyder, Kane Presbyterian Church, Kane, PA
- Travis Webster, First Presbyterian Church, Meadville, PA