At a special meeting on August 9 via Zoom, commissioners approved two recommendations from the Presbyter Search Committee: electing Ruling Elder Barbara Chalfant as presbyter for congregational life and Candidate Leigh Anne Ring as presbyter for relational care.
Barbara Chalfant
A graduate of Union Presbyterian Seminary and a certified Christian educator, Chalfant has served congregations in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia.
She is currently the associate for mission for the Presbytery of West Virginia where she works with ministries involved in peacemaking, social justice, hunger action, disaster response, and serving older adults.
Chalfant will guide and equip presbytery members and ministries in exploring new opportunities for enriching congregational life. She also will serve as the staff liaison to the Committee on Nominations, the Committee on Representation, and the Youth Council.
Chalfant will join the staff September 6.
Leigh Anne Ring
Ring recently earned a Master of Divinity from Union Presbyterian Seminary and is a candidate for ordination to the ministry of Word and Sacrament. She also holds a Master of Arts in Christian education and was certified as a Christian educator in 2001.
Ring served three Presbytery of the James congregations as an educator: Second (Petersburg), Bon Air, and River Road. She also has been a member of the Committee on Ministry and served as presbytery moderator in 2020.
Ring’s role will be to provide pastoral support and oversight of presbytery ministers, educators, chaplains, and commissioned pastors. She will serve as staff liaison to the Commission on Ministry.
Ring begins work August 15.
