Together with the Personnel Committee, Grace Presbytery Council is excited to announce the arrival of interim general presbyter, Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Shive, effective January 15, 2021.
In anticipation of Steve’s arrival early next year, he has shared a brief biography with us, which you can read below. We hope you will join us in offering a gracious and hearty Texas welcome to Steve!
Greetings! I was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and lived there 19 years. My freshman year in college, my parents moved to Greenville, South Carolina, where my 94-year-old mother still lives.
I have two brothers; one is a manufacture’s representative in the heating and air-conditioning industry and the other is my twin who is a PCUSA pastor in North Carolina. I am a graduate of Auburn University, Columbia Theological Seminary, and Union Presbyterian Seminary.
I have been in presbytery leadership as a transitional and general presbyter for almost a decade. For 25 years I served as pastor of four churches of various sizes in Missouri, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and North Dakota. Yes, I have been around the block!
I am a pastoral leader who rallies people around a shared and agreed upon vision – one that seeks to be in alignment with God’s hopes and dreams and the people’s passion, skills, and gifts.
I think the greatest gifts I will bring to Grace Presbytery are skills in collaboration and coaching. My life purpose is, “to coach and cook up adventures in collaboration and transformation.”
I believe the most significant asset a leader of any type can bring to her/his team in this VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) time is a centered and calm presence.
I have been married to my wife, Doris, for 35 years. We have two adopted Peruvian children who are each 30 years old. Our daughter, Claire, is an artist who just finished her second bachelor’s degree in graphic design and lives in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Jordan is the youth, family, and small group ministry director at Eagle River Presbyterian Church in Avon, Colorado.
In my spare time I love to travel, read, and experiment with culinary arts. I am an avid hiker and find the beauty and silence of nature golden. One of my aspirations is to walk the complete Camino de Santiago.
Stay tuned to the presbytery’s website and social media channels for continuing updates, as we pray, plan, and prepare for Steve’s arrival on January 15th.