Read about - Westminster Presbyterian Church

was involved in teaching the congregation’s young people.
A constantly recurring theme through the years, in committee
reports as well as Session and Christian Education
Committee minutes, was the fact that lack of professional
leadership in the field of Christian education was a distinct
handicap to the program. Constantly stressed and reiterated
in annual meetings and budget consideration was the “need
to enlarge our vision.” In January 1967 the Christian Education
Committee urgently recommended to Session that “a
director of Christian education be hired at the earliest possible
time.” This was but the first of many similar pleas. A job
description was drawn up by the Administration Committee
in February in order to pursue this goal. Alas, it was not yet
to be accomplished.
Rev. James Green was hired in 1969–70, with funds donated
by the Women’s Assocation, to assist the pastor on
Sunday. He became known by the congregation as Christian
education counselor for junior and senior high youths, but he
remained only one year.
Finally, at the annual meeting in 1971, five percent of the
reserve for operating contingency was put into the budget for
a program of leadership training and/or staffing, beyond the
amount already budgeted for operation and supplies in the
Christian education department.
For a few years thereafter, youth counselors were employed
– usually University of Michigan students affiliated
with Christian campus organizations – to work with the young
people in fellowships, Junior Club, Junior Day Camp and
Sunday school. Most successful of these was Michael Malone,
a university student whose longer stay, popularity with young
people as well as adults, and earnest intent to enter the ministry,
gave his leadership some authority. After nearly two years
of service to Westminster, during which time he preached
several sermons, Mike entered Gordon-Conwell Seminary in
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