Earle Roberts, after graduating from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond Va., served a pastorate in the Shenandoah Valley and taught Bible and philosophy at Madison College. From Virginia, he went to Brazil and was professor of Old Testament in the Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Campinas SP. The Board of World Missions then assigned him to staff in Nashville, Tenn. He came to Charlotte to serve as church administrator of Covenant Presbyterian Church for 11 years, during which time he also taught Bible at Queens College. Then, after serving as pastor of Lake Waccamaw (N.C.) Presbyterian Church, he retired and returned to Charlotte.
William H. (Bill) Lamar IV is pastor of Turner Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church in Hyattsville, Md. He previously served three churches in Florida: Monticello, Orlando and Jacksonville. Lamar is a graduate of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and Duke Divinity School. At Leadership Education at Duke Divinity, he designs, resources and facilitates educational opportunities related to Christian leadership and pastoral imagination. He is the director of the Foundations of Christian Leadership program. He is a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post and his pastoral ministry has strengthened disciples and communities through ministry development, community outreach, organizing for justice, numerical and financial growth, and property acquisition.
Jessica Patchett is associate minister for Christian education at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte. She is a graduate of Elon University (B.A. Journalism) and Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div.). She enjoys leading and shaping faith formation opportunities for all ages and reaching out to those who struggle to make connections with faith communities for whatever reason. Jessica is engaged to Travis McKinney, lives in Charlotte, and enjoys running, practicing yoga, and being outside.
Robert Austell has served as pastor of Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in south Charlotte since 2002. He is a graduate of Davidson College (B.A.), Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Reformed Theological Seminary (D.Min.). He is a lifelong musician and has spent much of his life exploring and explaining the role of music in worship and the place of worship in life. He is also a computer/technology enthusiast and loves integrating music and technology into life and ministry. He blogs at robertaustell.blogspot.com on themes related to being the church in and for the world. He is married to Heather and has three daughters, ages 11-15.
Kate Murphy is pastor of The Grove Presbyterian Church in Charlotte. She is a native of Louisville, Ky. She graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind., and earned master’s degrees from Boston University. She accepted her first call to be an associate pastor at Fourth Presbyterian, a multicultural, inner-city church in South Boston. She moved to Charlotte in 2004 as associate pastor for youth and children’s ministry at Cook’s Memorial Presbyterian Church. She is (very slowly) working to complete her Doctorate of Ministry from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary where she is studying the connection between ecclesiology and eschatology. She and her husband, Colin, have two daughters, Callie and Quinn. In her free time, Kate enjoys running, reading, writing, drinking coffee and watching pointless reality television.
