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Laurie Farquharson
laurief@wekivapresbyterian.org
Laurie Farquharson is our Director
of Christian Education. Her areas of job responsibility include
children’s ministries (Kids Club, Sunday School, Children’s Chapel,
VBS, etc.), adult education ministry and Stephen Ministry. She serves
on the Board of the Christian Child Center. She’s been a member
of staff since 1989 and a member of the congregation since 1977.
She is most grateful for the opportunity to have combined many ears
of practical experience as a church volunteer and as an educator
in the public schools with the seminary course work which has further
equipped her for her role here.
Laurie grew up in rural central Virginia,
the daughter of a county agricultural agent and homemaker, both
Presbyterian elders. From the age of 10 when she was an aide to
her favorite Sunday School teacher, Laurie has been actively involved
in Christian Education. After graduating as valedictorian of her
small Madison County High School class, she attended Mary Washington
College of the University of Virginia. She earned a B.A. with Honors
in English with additional coursework in Elementary Education and
was certified to teach K-5 in Virginia and later in Illinois. In
1969, Laurie married her husband Jim and moved to suburban Chicago
where she thoroughly loved teaching 1st and 2nd
grades for four years until sons Paul and Scott were born. In Illinois,
she was an active member of the large First Presbyterian, LaGrange,
and enjoyed chaperoning youth events, serving on the worship committee,
teaching pre-schoolers and chairing the Nursery Mothers’ Circle.
In 1977, Laurie and family moved to
Central Florida and joined Wekiva Presbyterian. Here Laurie served
multiple terms as deacon, elder, teacher (for 12 years), chair of
a number of committees, a member of Central Florida Presbytery’s
Committee on Ministry and chair of CFP Nominating Committee. After
much prayer and reluctance, she answered God’s call as Interim Director
of Christian Education in December, 1989 during a period of pastoral
and educator vacancy. In 1991, she was pleased to be called and
installed as director when the pastorate was filled.
Laurie has completed all coursework
for Associate Christian Educator certification by the PC (USA) by
taking many graduate courses at Princeton Theological Seminary,
Columbia Theological Seminary and the Presbyterian School of Christian
Education. Course work has involved study in the areas of Biblical
Interpretation, Reformed Theology Christian Education Theory and
Practice, Human Development and PC (USA) Polity and Mission.
Laurie is happy to be the "homegrown"
educator here and thoroughly enjoys a call to ministry that involves
a broad job description and many opportunities to love and serve
people of all ages.
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