Early Years:

I was born in 1967 in Richmond, Virginia. I grew up in the home my parents built and moved into when I was 2 years old (they still live there). My brother and I enjoyed the blessings of being in a stable and loving household. We played a lot of soccer and devoted untold hours to restoring a couple of old Ford Mustangs.

Conversion:

Though I had been a part of a local church all my life, I never really heard and embraced the good news of the gospel until late in my high school years. High school was hard. I was struggling to try and make sense of what life was about. In the midst of this, I was invited to some “Young Life” meetings where they spoke to the hurts of my heart and the healing of Christ in a way I had never heard. In the summer of 1984, the Lord finally opened my eyes wide enough to see my need of Him and the richness of a life yielded to Him. Never have I regretted that change of my life’s direction.

Call to Ministry:

After high school I went to study at Virginia Tech (Go Hokies!). During my years in Blacksburg, I was exposed to several different ministries and had the privilege of serving in a variety of ways. After graduating with a degree in Economics in 1989, I took a job in the Trust Department of a major bank back in Richmond and worked there for about two and a half years. During that time, the leadership of the church my wife and I had joined gave me several teaching opportunities. This confirmed a desire in my heart to study and teach on a more regular basis. We left Richmond in July of 1992 and headed west to Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. There I received a solid education, pastoral training, and encountered (again) many new opportunities of service.

Ministry Experience:

After graduation in May of 1996, I served as an assistant pastor at Bethel Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Clover, South Carolina. The two and a half years there gave me exposure to a wide breadth of ministry. In October of 1998, we moved to Peoria, Illinois where I served as an assistant pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA). This again exposed me to a great deal yet also allowed me to focus more upon my particular strengths – in particular, teaching and preaching. In late August of this year, we moved here to Clarksville where I am currently serving as the teaching elder at Christ Presbyterian Church (PCA).

Personal Data:

Sarah and I were married in the spring of 1990. Since then our household has seen some delightful additions – Hannah, Alex, and Emma. A pesky dog and a frisky cat have joined us as well.

As an adolescent I attended church with my family on an irregular basis. I responded to an altar call and was baptized shortly after. The Pastor left and my family stopped going to church. I never persude the Christian life as I saw no difference in the people attending church and those who didn’t. I went back to what I guess you would consider a normal worldly life and like those I judged, there was no evidence of Christ in my life.

I remember praying that God would give me 35 years of doing what I wanted to do and then I would give up everything and live for Him. The years went by and I forgot that prayer and just kept on living in unrepentant sin. I prayed at night, when I remembered, but I never prayed for forgiveness and I only prayed for my own or the families’ personal needs.

At 37 I felt as though I needed a change so I informed Debbie that after 18 years of marriage and two daughters that I was leaving. Within five months I had managed to destroy all the blessings that God had given me. I was severing relationships and in the process I sensed that God was allowing my sin to separate me from my not only those that really loved me but also withholding His blessings from me.

Debbie, by Gods grace, agreed that we would need to start over again, with the condition that we seek counseling. We agreed that Christian counseling was what we would need and God led us to a Navy Chaplain. Chaplain Rick Halm saw us once, he gave us both an NIV Bible each other every night. Less than a month later I was so overcome with the weight of my sin and my need for repentance that I surrendered my life to Christ as Lord and Savior. God has shown me that being a Christian is about Christ and not about me.

In less than 6 months Jesus was the center of our entire family. His covenant promises continue as we see His grace extended to our daughters, grandchildren and to the many members of Church families we have been in since 1988.

I am a Christian because of Christ and a Presbyterian because He led me to choose a church doctrine that is Christ centered.

After teaching adult Sunday school, serving on missions, mercy, evangelism and budget committees for two years at Pinewoods Presbyterian Church, Pensacola FL, I was asked to consider a nomination to serve as a deacon. After much prayer and searching my heart and Scripture for the sense of the call as a servant and officer of the church, I submitted to the Lord. He affirmed the call through the nomination, election and ordination

After serving a year on the diaconate two ruling elders asked me to prayerfully consider a nomination for elder. Again, after much prayer and searching my heart and Scripture for the sense of the call, I submitted to the Lord again and He affirmed the call through the nomination, election and ordination.

I am humbled to have the Lords call on my life as an officer of His church. Once again I have submitted to a nomination to serve His church here at Christ Presbyterian Church and will wait for His affirmation of the call. l

I was born on a farm near Ft. Campbell in 1935. A few years earlier my parents had immigrated from Europe to live in a country known for its freedom and opportunity. My Dad was Mennonite and my Mom was from the Swiss Reformed Church. Farm life provided me with many enriching experiences including the twice daily chore of milking 50-60 cows. During the 1940’s military families stayed in our home for weeks and sometimes for months while they searched for housing. This is when I encountered people of other faiths including Jews and Catholics. But my parents never failed to have a Bible reading and prayer at the evening meal.

At age 14, I made a “profession of faith” and joined my parents’ church. I became active in the programs of the church. One month after entering high school, I became seriously ill with a high fever and nausea for more than a week. The country doctor made a house call and diagnosed it as malaria. After being in bed for eight days, I attempted to get up. I immediately fell to the floor. After a diagnosis of Polio and undergoing rehabilitation, I was able to walk again.

During the next few years I began to question my relationship to the Lord. The preaching of the gospel caused me great discomfort. At times I tried to reduce this dissonance by appealing to my “decision” and my church membership. But the Holy Spirit would not cease His work. One day he did. I realized that I could not just “make a decision” and become God’s adopted child. I finally realized as Jonah 2:9 declared, “Salvation comes from the Lord.” He showed me how sinful I was and how I desperately needed our Savior. A tremendous sense of peace and relief came over me when I realized what Christ had done for me. I had been forgiven and now I was God’s adopted child. God’s eternal elective love changed the course of my life forever. Later, when people at my church became aware of what happened they were shocked. I had fooled many people pretending to be a Christian, but God was not fooled. He knows our hearts.

Time does not permit, but during the ensuing years, God has been so good to me, guiding me through school, marriage (a wonderful wife), family and work. Romans 7 clearly states, that I struggle with the sinful nature, but He is constantly correcting my course through His Spirit and His Word, as well as through wonderful Christian colleagues who are willing to help me in love and discipline.

It is my prayer that during my retirement years that I might still bear fruit as Psalm 92 says “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no wickedness in Him. I must let Him work through me, otherwise my fruit will look more like prunes than plums. To God be the glory! “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise. l

God makes Himself known to us in many ways. The book of Romans says “His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen through creation.” Very often we are unaware that He is pursuing us and we can often be unaware of His hand at work in and around our lives. This was the case with my life.

Attending church was a familiar event for my family. We were often the ones who arrived first and unlocked the doors and as well as the ones who turned the lights off and leave. We were at church Sunday morning, night, Wednesday night, Thursday night to clean. I even learned to drive in the back parking lot of the church with a friend while waiting for my father finish in the church. When I was around 9 years old, God used the weekly teaching and preaching of the Bible to bring me to Himself. Although I tried to be a good person as I was taught at home and in church, I realized the frustration that I could never meet God’s standard. His standard was perfection and although I thought I was pretty good, I fell way short even as a 9-year-old.

But the Bible said God gave me something I didn’t deserve…that He provided a substitute in my place which was perfect and a substitute which met God’s standard. A substitute that didn’t require my hard work to earn, it was a gift. Jesus was that gift. God made it clear that I was a sinner and I needed a savior and I trusted Christ at that point in my life.

My life was different and I knew that God had changed me. Unfortunately the understanding of growing as a believer was not strongly promoted in our church so after this time I was easily persuaded to hang out with school friends who were far from spiritually minded. Pleasing friends by following the crowd became my motivation since I had little other spiritual growth and influence during by teenage years. Many of the friends I partied with were at church with me on Sunday morning.

During my senior year of high school the Lord used many events to bring me to a point of recognizing that I was not being honest with my self, my family and friends. The dissatisfaction grew in my life with my inability to do the right things no mater how hard I tried with my own strength. I remember praying that God would strengthen me spiritually the summer before leaving for college so I could withstand the temptations I would inevitably be confronted with. What I didn’t understand was the need for Christian fellowship to challenge me and help me grow. Although I didn’t grow much spiritually that particular summer, God answered that prayer by surrounding me with friends at school who wanted to help me grow spiritually and for the first time I understood how important the godly influence of other believers studying the Bible and praying together can be. The Lord lead me to a church that understood the needs of College students and I grew to love reading the Bible and grew in my desire to honor God with my life.

There is no way I could have orchestrated these life events, God is so faithful to protect and provide in our lives the things that are eternal. He can be trusted. He desires that we know Him and he has provided the way through our Lord Jesus Christ. John 6:37-40.

Because of the grace and love God has demonstrated toward me, my motivation to see others grow and mature spiritually through His church is natural. While I was single I had the privilege of serving as a college student leader while at the University of Tennessee and later in Atlanta as a leader in an international student ministry that grew from 30 students to over 300. Meeting Christians from all over the world was both a privilege and a humbling experience especially when listening to many of these students pray for their fellow students, families and countrymen with such compassion.

In 1989 Tina and I met and were married and our serving turned to preschool and young married families. Now it is a privilege for my family and me to serve and grow with you at Christ Presbyterian Church. l

t

Through the prayers and encouragement of my Christian parents, I accepted Christ as my Savior as a young child.  I am a sinner who is totally dependent on God’s grace and mercy.  Just as my parents turned to Him as they prayed for my salvation, I lean on God for my direction.  I praise God for my life and family.  Dina and I pray and have faith that God will answer the prayers of us, his covenant children, as the prayers of our parents have been answered.

Dina and I were involved in planting a PCA church in Hawaii from 1992-1996, and I was
ordained as an elder in the PCA in 1994.  We moved to Clarksville, Tennessee in July of 1996 and were involved in calling a church planter, the Reverend Curt McDaniel, to help plant a PCA church in Clarksville.  The McDaniel family came to Clarksville in July of 1997 and we, with several other families, met regularly and had our first worship service at Austin Peay State University in November of 1997.  Christ Presbyterian Church of Clarksville, TN particularized in the spring of 2002 and called the Reverend Richard Schwartz as the pastor of CPC in the fall of 2002.

I was in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1988-1992 and on active duty in the Army Medical Corps from 1992-2000.  Dina and I strongly support our service members.  We greatly appreciate the sacrifice that our military service members and their families make for us and our country.  I am a Gideon because Dina and I support the worldwide sharing of the Gospel.

Sharing my faith and loving others is very important to me.  I am the medical director of Alpha Alternative Pregnancy Care Center in Hopkinsville, and Dina is a board member of Alpha.  I also volunteer my time to the Hope Pregnancy Center in Clarksville and pregnancy care centers in Paris, TN and Martin, TN.  Dina helps me take care of patients at St. Luke’s Free Health Clinic in Hopkinsville.  Dina volunteers at Heritage Christian Academy as a regular substitute teacher and almost every other job that they need done.

I am very proud of Dina who is so much more than I deserve.  Also, I am very proud of John Michael who works at the YMCA, reads constantly, takes care of our farm, and is fun to watch on a water ski, Mary Elizabeth who volunteers helping the first graders, studies constantly, and is a great tennis player and wakeboarder, and James Hunter who also enjoys reading and doing anything outdoors, cares for our animals, and is just fun to be around.  All the kids excel in school.  Mary Elizabeth has juvenile diabetes, but by God’s grace, she takes what others see as an affliction and turns it into another way to share her faith and hope.  John Michael, Mary Elizabeth, and James Hunter have all joined Christ Presbyterian Church.

I enjoy spending time with my family particularly at Lake Barkley.  The Stitts love animals and we have dogs, cats, horses, and guinea pigs.  We all enjoy reading, boating, playing tennis, traveling, fishing, hiking, camping and watching football. (OK, maybe I exaggerated about Dina and Mary Elizabeth enjoying fishing, hiking, camping, and watching football.)  It is an honor to be a person’s doctor and being an ObGyn physician is the greatest career I can imagine.  But my true joy in life is my family and our church family.  

Bo(32) is married to Megan (19) and they have four "therapy-destined" children: Dutch (6), Coby (4), Ellie (18 mos) and John Wyatt (4 mos). Bo currently works at Fort Campbell commanding troops and Megan spends her "terribly long" days at home with the kids. Bo and  Megan teach the three and four year old Sunday School class, coordinate children's church and "every-so-often" volunteer in the nursery. Bo also "roams the aisles" during the offertory as well as serves on the Fellowship Team.(ok, I guess you could say "ushers") The Arnold's feel tremendously blessed and privileged to be a part of the Christ PCA family.

David Bullock is married to Linda. We have 5 children and 13 grandchildren. I am a full -time civil service technician in the Tennessee Air National Guard. I help my wife in the Sunday School assembly and am ready to get into the baby nursery. We have both lived in Clarksville most of our lives and plan to stay here. Linda is a homemaker  and homeschools  2 of our grandchildren .

Mike retired from the military after serving for 21 years. Currently, he is a History Teacher and Soccer Coach at Heritage Christian Academy. He has been married to Linda for 25 years. Their son Michael (22 years old)  graduated from Northeast HS,  Kentucky
Weselyn College and will attend Masters Program at Missouri State in
International Affairs. Mike serves on Worship Team and Fellowship Team

I was born at an early age in Jackson, Tennessee. I moved to Clarksville in 1989. I have two sons, Asa IV (25) and William (23) and a wife of 29 years, Kacy. I write patents, search patents, do technical drawings, and usualy fix lunch for a local patent attorney. I have been a member of the church since its inception. I have served in the nursery, cut the grass, picked up trash and weed eated along the boundaries, (our passers by prefer Bud Light two to one) and taught adult and children's Sunday school classes. Currently, I serve in the toddlers' nursery. My wife, Kacy, is active in many women's ministries, and teaches teen aged girls Sunday school classes and women's Bible Studies. She also is part of the crew which cleans the church every week, and along with Mary Leavell, brow beat the pastor selection committee into hiring Richard.

Stephen Rowe and his wife Carol moved to Clarksville two years ago and have been involved in the Church ever since.  Since joining the Church Stephen has taught the adult Sunday school class and currently serves as the Treasurer.  Stephen works as an accountant in Nashville.