Audrey Adams, a 25 year-old life-long Cumberland Presbyterian and recent Memphis Theological Seminary (MTS) graduate, joins us today to talk about her faith journey. Audrey comes to us having graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM) in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a minor in Communications. While at UTM, Audrey balanced part-time work at a local law practice and participated and served in various organizations, including SGA and the Writing Center, as well as volunteered as the youth leader at Cool Springs Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Trimble, Tennessee, where her mother is the current pastor and where she was able to serve in various leadership roles at Cumberland Presbyterian youth functions. Through the English program, Audrey also had the opportunity to participate in two travel studies abroad during her time at UTM. After feeling called to further her education at Memphis Theological Seminary following her time at UTM, Audrey began studying at MTS in the Fall of 2021, and recently graduated in May of this year with a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry (MACM) with a specialization in social justice. Audrey is presently serving as the Store Manager at her family’s new business venture, For The Record, in downtown Union City, Tennessee.

Music is provided by Pierce Murphy, Caldera Blue. 
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Reverend Dennis Croslin writes, "I've been married to Melinda for almost 22 years. We have 8 children. I have been the pastor at Union Hill Cumberland Presbyterian Church for 11 years and have been ordained since 2017. I'm a PAS graduate and a licensed funeral director and embalmer, which leads to various ministry opportunities. The church that I pastor is the church I grew up in along with my mother, my grandparents, and great-grandparents."

Music is provided by Pierce Murphy, Caldera Blue. 
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Reverend Blake Stephens is a life long Cumberland Presbyterian. He was raised in the First Cumberland Presbyterian church in Winchester, Tennessee. It was a long road to ministry for Blake but after many twists and turns he surrendered to the call. He serves the Owens Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian church in Winchester and just celebrated his 10th year there. Blake is a volunteer with his local search and rescue organization and serves as land search captain specializing in tracking and as the group chaplain.

Music is provided by Pierce Murphy, Caldera Blue. 
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Larry Blakeburn was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, but grew up in a mobile environment as his father prepared for and participated in full-time ministry. He has lived in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, and Tennessee. 

He graduated from Greeneville High School, Bethel University, and later earned a Master of Divinity degree at Memphis Theological Seminary. Additionally, he was the first recipient of a Doctor of Ministry degree from MTS. Larry joined the United States Marine Corps in 1968 and served in Vietnam in 1969, where he was awarded the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. 

Larry was ordained on February 18, 1979. He has served five Cumberland Presbyterian churches: Bolivar CP Church, Bolivar, Tennessee, St. Luke CP Church, Ft. Worth, Texas, West Nashville CP Church, Nashville, Tennessee, Dyersburg First CP Church, Dyersburg, Tennessee, and First CP Church of Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Dr. Blakeburn was President of Memphis Theological Seminary from 1997-2001.  

He has served as commissioner to General Assembly several times. Larry was on the Board of Trustees of Memphis Theological Seminary from 1985-1991. He served nine years on the Board of Trustees of Bethel University. Larry was on the General Assembly Organizational Task Force in 2006 and 2007 to evaluate how our denominational organization and structure work together, and on the General Assembly Evaluation Committee for Memphis Theological Seminary and the Historical Foundation which reported to the 189th meeting of General Assembly. He has been moderator of five different presbyteries and served on the Board of Missions and the Committee on the Ministry in those presbyteries. 

His philosophy of ministry revolves around trying to be a pastor for every member of his congregation and not just those who agree with him theologically, politically, and socially. “Every congregation that I have served has been made up of people from a variety of religious traditions and people who are politically and socially diverse. We accept absolutely everybody, but that does not mean that we agree with everybody or that we approve of everything they do. We are all in the process of being saved and we are trying our best to be like Christ. 

Adapted from the Cumberland Presbyterian magazine, May 2024.

Music is provided by Pierce Murphy, Caldera Blue. 
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Nick Chambers was born and raised in Camden, Arkansas. He is the grandson of the late Rev. Leo Smith, who pastored for 50 years in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (CPC). His mother, former Women’s Ministry President, Martha Chambers, father, and father-in-law are ordained elders in the CP Church. His brother and aunt are also CP Ministers. But serving in the church was never the dream for Nick.  

Nick and Andrea have six children who are all homeschooled. His two oldest kids help lead worship every Sunday. Nick has served as moderator of Arkansas and Grace Presbyteries, numerous presbyterial committees, and the Communications Ministry Team. He is currently the pastor of the Camden CP Church, and, via video stream, the Walkerville CP Church.  Adapted from the Cumberland Presbyterian magazine, May 2024.

Music is provided by Pierce Murphy, Caldera Blue. 
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Rev. Lucas Garcia is a Cumberland Presbyterian minister in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Lucas writes, "I have been happily married for ten years to my beautiful wife Jennifer and we have a three year old son named Santiago. I have served the El Redil Cumberland Presbyterian Church for the past six years as its pastor. It has been a wonderful and fulfilling journey. I love playing the guitar and laughing."

Music is provided by Pierce Murphy, Caldera Blue. 
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Benjamin Diaz Villa is an ordained elder and pianist at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Houston, chair of Trinity Presbytery Board of Christian Education, and is currently a PhD aerospace engineering student at the University of Texas at Austin. His research is currently on hypersonic aeroelasticity, and he enjoys composing music in his free time.

Music is provided by Pierce Murphy, Caldera Blue. 
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Danny Willis is a Cumberland Presbyterian minister in Owensboro, Kentucky. He and his wife Jessica, join me in this faith journey on Cumberland Road. Danny writes, “my story is one of ‘I am lost and now I am found’ and being pulled from certain death, by God’s hand.  My church, wife, and children have all been a huge part of my journey; a journey that has just begun.”

Music is provided by Pierce Murphy, Caldera Blue. 
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Matthew H. Gore is a British journalist, historian, popular culturist, archivist, and educator residing in Memphis, Tennessee. He is the immediate past-president of the Society of Tennessee Archivists and is best known for his book The History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Kentucky to 1988 (2000). He has also published on a variety of topics as diverse as The Origin of Marvelman (a British superhero of the 1950s and 1960s), the relative scarcity of East German philatelics, and the biography of British pulp artist, Denis McLoughlin. He is employed by the Ministry Council of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at the Cumberland Presbyterian Center in Memphis, Tennessee, as editor of the Cumberland Presbyterian Magazine and as publications manager. He has been associated with both Western Kentucky University, which honored him with their James H. Poteet Award, and the University of Kentucky. He also serves as editor for all Boardman Books (Memphis, Tennessee) publications.

Music is provided by Pierce Murphy, Caldera Blue. 
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LeighAnn Morgan is serving as the Congregational Life Director at Winchester Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Tennessee. She was raised in the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination and says she has "loved every second of it". She answered the call into ministry while in high school and graduated from Bethel University in Mckenzie, Tennessee with a major in Human Services. LeighAnn is now attending Memphis Theological Seminary. 

Music is provided by Pierce Murphy, Caldera Blue. 
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