First Presbyterian Church of Athens Nominates Rev. Whitney Booth Lockard as Associate Pastor

On Sunday, November 12, the congregation unanimously approved the recommendation of the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee to name Reverend Whitney Booth Lockard as our next Associate Pastor. Click here to view a brochure about Whitney.

Mike Morris, chair of the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee, shared these remarks with the congregation on Sunday:

There is so much I could say about Whitney but really, all you have to do is read the letter written by Whitney in the brochure to see how she won our hearts, to see how grounded she is, to see how bright she is, to see how humble she is, to see her sense of humor, to see how well she exemplifies the qualities we were looking for in our Associate Pastor.

She was described by a reference as a “church kid.” She grew up in our Presbytery attending Montreat and serving on Presbytery Youth Council. She comes from a wonderful family that helped shape not only her beliefs but also her character. Whitney, her husband Mark, and their daughter Josie live in Jackson County, a 20-minute drive from our church.

She has impeccable academic credentials as well as a wealth of experience for someone her age having served in a large church and a small church, and having served as a chaplain at Agnes Scott.

We found her to have rich theological knowledge which she shares in language we all can understand. She listens when you speak to her and she thinks before she speaks. We believe she will be a great bridge builder for our members and visitors and will be a terrific colleague for our church staff. It will not take you long to know you have a friend in Whitney. We are delighted to nominate her to be our next Associate Pastor.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the congregation dismissed the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee with acclamation and deepest thanks for a job well done. The members of the committee were Mike Morris (chair), Don DeMaria, Dick Ferguson, Jill Hopkins, Jerry Rogers, Laura Toney, and Madeline Van Dyck.

Whitney’s first day in the office will be Monday, January 8, and her first Sunday in worship will be January 14. Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities to welcome Whitney, Mark, and Josie to First Presbyterian Church!