The Presbytery of West Virginia welcomes the Rev. Dr. Stephen Robert Melton as our new Interim Executive Presbyter. Stephen comes to us from the Silver Spring Presbyterian Church, in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, Presbytery of Carlisle, where he served ten years as Associate Pastor. He earned his Masters of Divinity from Louisville Seminary where he was a contemporary with John Koerner and Charla Waters Koerner. He received his Doctor of Ministry from Pittsburgh Seminary. He has served as the Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Huntingdon and the Presbytery of Carlisle. Stephen has a certificate in Spiritual Formation from Columbia Seminary in Georgia. His doctoral work was also in the area of spiritual discernment in the congregation.
Stephen has three daughters ages 27, 26 and 24. His oldest daughter, Abigail, is an insurance adjuster in Harrisburg. His middle daughter, Emily, will be married in April and his youngest daughter, Stephanie, serves as a Military Police officer in Bagdad, Iraq. He is the owner of a Honda Goldwing and has ridden in all 48 of the lower states. He now calls the Coal River campground in Boone County his new home.
Stephen has extensive experience serving on conference center boards and in youth work. He was involved in some capacity for eight of our National Presbyterian Youth Trienniums.
Stephen brings tremendous enthusiasm and a deep sense of call to this position in our Presbytery. In addition to his daily duties at the Presbytery office, he hopes to locate his camper in each of our quadrants for a time so he may get to know the churches in that quadrant, especially those churches without pastoral leadership. Dr. Melton is available for preaching, teaching and moderating meetings of Session. Please feel free to contact him. His services are free. Any reimbursement will be given to the Presbytery for the travel account.
Stephen was introduced to Presbytery Council on February 13th and began his new duties on March 1st. He will be introduced to Presbytery on March 9th in Parkersburg.
Please join in extending a warm West Virginia welcome to Dr. Stephen Melton. He needs to be introduced to ramps, brown beans and cornbread.
God has blessed our Presbytery over the years with capable, dedicated leaders; and God continues to bless us now through Stephen.