Citing a ministry characterized by service in a variety of national regions, types of service, and ecumenical initiatives, William Paul “Bill” Tarbell, pastor of Saluda Church in Saluda, S.C., is seeking the position of stated clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)During his ministry, he has dealt with recurring themes of change, evaluation, conflict resolution, and growth moving faith communities to a future of expanded vision and service. Such ministries are a microcosm of the opportunities for change and growth for the PC(USA), according to Tarbell.
Since 1967, he has served churches in five different regions of the country, in eight presbyteries, in large cities, small towns, and rural areas. He ministered in an African-American congregation in Pittsburgh and served actively in several areas with American Indian and African American populations. He has worked with a variety of age groups in settings ranging from churches and presbyteries to community organizations, workshops, and camps.
Ecumenically, he maintains ties with most Christian bodies in the United States and abroad. He further seeks to stay in touch with various theological interests within the PC(USA).
Tarbell has recognized a sense of call to the position of stated clerk as he observed the convergence between his experiences and the direction and needs of the denomination. As part of his process of discernment, he consulted with several persons including a local ecumenical colleague, Dorsey F. Henderson, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina. Bishop Henderson made the following response:
“There is no question in my mind that the Reverend Dr. Tarbell is committed to Christ, committed to the Presbyterian Church and its mission as the Body of Christ, committed to participation in the ecumenical community — all of which is strengthened by his intelligence, the clarity of expression of thought, with a dose of good humor thrown in. All of these factors lead to my conviction, without reservation, that he would be a good choice for the position of Stated Clerk.”
His priorities in a first term as stated clerk include treating colleagues with fairness and due respect, seeking change in a collaborative fashion, deepening the understanding between the PC(USA) and entities with whom it has relations, and serving effectively as the denomination’s constitutional officer. “I know well the Book of Order and our confessions,” he says. He studied parliamentary procedures with Marianne Wolfe at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and has stayed current with deliberative procedures and the concept of consensus decision making.
Tarbell holds an M.Div. from the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and D.Min. from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is married and has two daughters and two granddaughters.
