LOUISVILLE (Presbyterian Publishing Corporation press release) — Longtime president and publisher of the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC), Marc Lewis, has announced that he will retire on June 30, 2019.
Most recently, Lewis was instrumental in the consolidation of two of the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s ministry areas, Congregational Ministries Publishing (CMP) and Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC), bringing the primary publishing efforts of the denomination under one roof so that the denomination’s commitment to a vigorous life-of-the-mind can be sustained through its publishing endeavors. Lewis will continue to manage the combined work and staffs of those former entities until his retirement.
With years of publishing experience, Lewis joined PPC in 1999 as senior vice president and general manager. In 2007, he assumed his present position as traditional publishing was beginning to experience a downward trend, resulting in financial instability for many religious presses. During his tenure, Lewis was able to build the corporation’s reserves while embracing the task of publishing and funding many significant and notable projects. The new hymnal Glory To God, serving both the PC(USA) and the ecumenical community, will continue as an enduring legacy, as will the most recent revision of the Book of Common Worship.One of his most popular and ambitious projects is Feasting on the Word, with all of its related resources. As he prepares to end his time at PPC, Lewis is overseeing the launch of a new nine-volume lectionary project titled Connections: A Lectionary Commentary for Preaching and Worship.
The PC(USA) Store, which serves as a marketplace for PC(USA) resources, was a recent initiative of PPC that Lewis oversaw and brings together resources that serve both Presbyterian congregations and the academy.
In addition to the more recognizable imprints of Westminster John Knox Press, Geneva Press, Thoughtful Christian, These Days, and Presbyterian Leader, the corporation, under Lewis’s leadership, inaugurated a children’s book imprint, Flyaway Books, to critical acclaim in 2018. His own imprint on the organization, during his 19 years of service, has been immense.
Lewis is also noted for having built a stellar staff. His ability to recognize, recruit, and encourage new talent has served the corporation well. As he lays down the mantle, he leaves an agency that is filled with smart and dedicated colleagues.
The Board of Directors of the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation will celebrate Lewis’s service at its spring meeting. The Rev. Mary Gene Boteler, chair of the board, commented, “Marc Lewis came to PPC at an unsettling time for religious publishing, had the vision and courage to move the corporation in ways that others might have considered too risky, and has left the denomination and religious publishing with a body of work that is most enviable.”
Lewis is married to Clare Lewis, who serves as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program, Inc., and they have three adult children.
