Another Presbyterian has announced she will stand for moderator of the 2018 General Assembly – Chantal D. Atnip, a ruling elder who since 2005 has served as treasurer of the Synod of the Trinity.
Atnip, who lives in Hershey, Pennsylvania, said via email that the Presbytery of Carlisle endorsed her as a candidate for moderator at its Dec. 5 meeting. She said she is announcing on her own, but is seeking the right person to stand with her, either as a co-moderator candidate or as a vice moderator.
Born in France, where her father was stationed in the Air Force, Atnip became a member of First Presbyterian Church in Vero Beach, Florida, when she was 12.
She majored in mathematics and math education at Florida State University, and has had a varied career, moving in and out of the workplace as her family’s needs changed. She has worked as a computer programmer and analyst; as a systems engineer for IBM; started a computer consulting and software development company with a colleague; worked in marketing and technical writing; and worked as a substitute teacher and math tutor.
She has been involved for years at Pine Street Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, serving for 18 years on the board of trustees and as the congregation’s longtime treasurer. She has taught Sunday school for junior high school students, run a program for mothers and helped manage a capital campaign. She currently sings in the choir, plays in the hand bell choir and serves as clerk of session.
Atnip, 64, said she would bring to the role of moderator a varied religious background. Her father was Catholic, she was involved with a Methodist campus ministry in college and attended Congregational and United Church of Christ churches when her husband was a surgical resident in Boston.
In biographical information provided to the Office of the General Assembly, Atnip said she felt the call to stand for moderator during a worship service at a synod gathering in April 2016.
Atnip and her husband Robert, who is a vascular surgeon, have two young adult daughters.
Two teams already have announced they intend to stand to serve as co-moderators of the 2018 General Assembly:
The 2018 General Assembly will meet in St. Louis June 16-23.
