First Presbyterian Church of Franklin Calls New Pastor

PRESS RELEASE (03-19-2024)
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH


First Presbyterian Church of Franklin Calls New Pastor

Franklin NC, March 19, 2024: At a special congregational meeting, Sunday, March 17, First Presbyterian Church of Franklin voted to welcome Elizabeth Jean (Betsy) Stow as its new pastor, an invitation that she has joyfully accepted.

Reverend Stow grew up in Suffolk, Virginia and did her undergraduate work in Music at Wingate College in North Carolina. She went on to earn a Master of

Arts in Historical Musicology and a Master of Library and Information Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. Reverend Stow worked as a public librarian in the Savannah, Georgia region for 11 years before entering Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia in August of 2015. She completed her Master of Divinity degree in May of 2018 and was ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) later that summer. During her ministry, she has served as a hospital chaplain, a hospice chaplain, a retirement community chaplain, a supply pastor, and a church musician. She is currently the Assistant Director of Public Services at the John Bulow Campbell Library of Columbia Theological Seminary, where she has served since January of 2022.

The Pastor Nominating Committee, a close representation of the church membership, included seven church members who spent almost a year seeking a candidate who would match our criteria:

• Support our mission to Grow in Faith, Serve with Hope and Share God’s Love
• Lead Worship and care for our members
• Have a vision for growing the church
• Take part in the community

“I believe we have found these qualities in Reverend Stow. She is a warm and caring person who values her ability to give pastoral and spiritual support to our members. Romans 12:15 says ‘Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.’ She wants to walk side by side with us, empowering us to find our own calling in the church, be part of our community as we are called to serve, and lead a meaningful worship to help us to grow in our relationship with God. I invite the community to come meet Betsy.” Gail Lehman, chair of the Pastor Nominating Committee.

Moving from the Atlanta area to Franklin, Reverend Stow will begin her service on April 15, 2024, preaching her first sermon as pastor on Sunday, April 21. A formal installation service and reception will be scheduled at a later date.

Sunday Services at First Presbyterian Church of Franklin are held each Sunday at 10:00 am, preceded by Sunday School at 9:00 am. The Presbyterian Church of Franklin was organized in 1833 by settlers fresh from Scotland. The Chapel, currently used for services on the first and fifth Sundays of each month, was erected in 1854.  The Sanctuary, hosts Sunday service on the second, third and fourth Sundays each month. Our campus serves the congregation and the community at large. For more information about Reverend Stow or First Presbyterian Church of Franklin please call (828) 524-3119, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/firstpresbyterianchurchfranklinnc or visit www.fpcwnc.org

First Presbyterian Church
26 Church Street
Franklin, NC 28734