In each Epistle, this column features a single question to which our pastors are asked to reply. It is usually connected to the issue’s theme and crafted to reveal the unique personalities and experiences of our beloved leaders.

Who makes up your “team” in your personal life?

Pastor June Barrow
My husband Al is my go-to for support. For more than 40 years he has been a caring and a wise voice, always the first place I go. But all of us need more than just one support person. I feel blessed to have a number of deep friendships, some more recent, some of them decades old. We have laughed together, listened long, grieved in hard times, and reminded each other that we are daughters of the Most High God, worthy of all respect and greatly loved.

Pastor Steven Grant
Without a doubt, my dear wife Nanette and son Evan make up the most significant part of the team that impacts my personal life. Their love, encouragement, and perspective is always a blessing to me. The pastoral staff of First Presbyterian Church is for me my band of brothers and sisters on whom I rely for support, accountability, and advice. I would also add Dr. Peter Lillback, President of Westminster Theological Seminary, as a key brother and mentor.

Pastor Su Kim
In addition to my family, church family, friends, and mentors, my team is always expanding. Jesus defined His family as those who do the will of God (Mark 3:35). With the harvest being plentiful and laborers being few (Luke 10:2), the task for Jesus’ team is great. So, it is wonderful to be a part of an ever-growing (Luke 1:33), winning team.

Pastor Doug Pratt
I have a very small family; Jeanne and I were never able to have children. Our parents and Jeanne’s only sibling passed away a few years ago. I have one sister in Ohio who has two adult children, with whom we have been close through the years; they have a total of five children between them, ages 3-8. Other than that, we have a very large “extended family”: the brothers and sisters in Christ of First Church, several thousand strong!

Pastor Brad Rogers
My personal team includes my wife, my parents, and my mentors. My wife has been an influential part of my team, assisting me in discerning how God is leading our family; my parents have been an enduring presence. I have also been incredibly fortunate to have mentors who have not only demonstrated how to be a faithful Christian and pastor, but who have invested in me personally.

Pastor Allen Walworth
“It takes a village” to raise a child, but I still rely on some very special “village people” in my personal circle to keep me balanced, focused, motivated, humbled, and healthy. There are a few close friends and family members, colleagues, and counselors, but first and foremost in this inner circle is my wife, Connie. She is my muse and full partner, the witness to my private and public life, and my closest confidant, confessor, and counselor.

Another Perspective
The Epistle also asked Creative Director Gil Urick about the “team” in his personal life. Here is what he said:
“My team begins with my wife, Donabeth. She is my support and sounding board for every aspect of my life. My father was a big part of my team. Even though he passed away more than nine years ago, I can still hear his advice from conversations past, helping to guide me along my way. I also lean on a group of guys I meet with once a week; we talk about the ups and downs of life, and look into God’s Word and what it says to us. Carl, Al, and Jeff have been an incredible blessing and a great part of my personal team.”
– Gil Urick, Creative Director