(PNS) Elaine Barnett, a lifelong Presbyterian who has served the church for more than 40 years as a Christian educator, was named “Educator of the Year” by the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) on Feb. 3 during APCE’s annual conference.
Barnett, a North Carolina native, served churches as an educator in Charlotte, Chapel Hill and Monroe, N.C., and also was on the staff of Southwest Florida Presbytery. She is now an elder at First Church in Sarasota, Fla., and moderator-elect of Peace River Presbytery.
Barnett has co-authored several books on Christian education and stewardship, and has contributed to numerous Presbyterian publications. She served on the APCE cabinet from 1996 to 2002, and was its president for 2000-2001. She now serves on the Christian Educator Certification Council of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Three educators were honored with APCE’s Lifetime Achievement Award: John A. Cairns, a 41-year veteran of educational ministry in the PC(USA), including the Academy of Faith & Life at Fourth Church in Chicago. Cairns retired last October and now lives in Sarasota, Fla.; Martha Stevenson, a native of Statesville, N.C., who served as an educator for churches in North Carolina, New York, Virginia and Maryland. She retired in 2004 after 23 years at Memorial Church in Raleigh, N.C., where she still lives; the late Jeanne Ferguson Isaacs, who died last fall at age 67. She was active in community affairs in Birmingham, Ala., while serving as educator for Independent Presbyterian Church for more than 20 years.
More than 30 PC(USA) educators who had been certified in 2005 also were honored.
The new Certified Christian Educators are: Heather Bailey, Bay City, Mich.; Carroll Bastian (town not listed); Tom Barila, Richmond, Va.; Martha Cherry, Maitland, Fla.; Jill Clark, San Antonio, Texas; Mary Beth Eubanks, Roanoke, Va.; Sarah Finnerty, New York, N.Y.; Mary Lee Going, Houston, Texas; Archie McCall, Huntersville, N.C.; Janice Moody, Kensington, Md.; Carol Murphy, Great Bend, Kan.; Karen Nottleman, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Lynn Pabst, Danville, Pa.; Lisa Patterson, Denton, Texas; Kari Preslar, Charleston, W.V.; Lisa Reece, Dallas, Texas; W. Croskeys Royall, Columbia, S.C.; Ruth Seiders, Bethlehem, Pa.; Kathleen Splitt, Greensburg, Ind.; Susan Thompson, Bel Air, Md.; and Sharon Van Pelt, Kannapolis, N.C.
Newly certified Associate Christian Educators are: Mary Beckhusen, Sayreville, N.J.; Janet Chester, Sherman, Texas; Betty Davenport, Forest City, N.C.; Nancy O’Dell, Calif.; Charles “Chip” Pope, Maryville, Tenn.; Stephanie Saffer, Mason, Ohio; Susan Suneson, Garland, Texas; Cheryl Taylor, Coppell, Texas; Kim Trisel, Farmington, W.V.; Lisa Watts, Westlake, Ohio; and Gayla Zachary, Austin, Texas.
