The Rev. Dr. Marian McClure Taylor was selected by the Executive Board of the Kentucky Council of Churches to serve as the sixth Executive Director, at their meeting in Lexington, on Tuesday, April 28. The Kentucky Council of Churches is the largest state-wide religious association in the Commonwealth, and was founded in 1947. The Rev. Dr. Taylor will succeed the Rev. Nancy Jo Kemper, who has served as the Council's executive since 1991. Dr. Taylor will commence her duties on June 15, 2009.
![]() |
| Above: (Left to right) KY Council of Churches' Executive Director Search Committee Chair, the Rev. Dr. Kent Gilbert; KY Council of Churches' Executive Director Elect, the Rev. Dr. Marian McClure Taylor; and current KY Council of Churches' Executive Board President Melissa Holland. |
Dr. Taylor is currently
serving as the Associate Director and North American Representative
of "Edinburgh 2010: Witnessing to Christ Today," the
centenary celebration of a pivotal world mission conference held
in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1910, that challenged Christians to
greater ecumenical and evangelistic collaboration. From 1997 -
2006, Dr. Taylor was the Director of the Worldwide Ministries
Division of the Presbyterian Church, USA, located in Louisville,
Kentucky, where she currently resides. Her role with the national
Presbyterian body was to lead the world mission program, including
oversight of over 400 world mission and field staff, 100 U.S.
based staff, and coordination with 165 interdenominational mission
partnerships. Dr. Taylor has degrees from the University of the
South, in Sewanee, TN, where she was Phi Beta Kappa; a Ph.D. from
Harvard University in political science; and a Master of Divinity
from the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
After her selection by the Executive Board of the Council-a body
composed of the heads of the denominations and their administrative
units, along with fifteen persons elected as at-large representatives
of the churches in Kentucky, Dr. Taylor spoke to the Executive
Board about her hopes for the future of the Council:
"With God's help, the Christian community in Kentucky will
reach deeper and wider - deeper as we enjoy learning from each
other's traditions, and wider as we partner for the good of our
most vulnerable fellow citizens. May all Christians join us as
we humbly offer our unity as a witness to the Gospel of Jesus
Christ."
The Rev. Kent Gilbert,
minister of the Church of Christ, Union, congregation in Berea
served as the chair of the search committee to find a successor
to Rev. Kemper. A national search was conducted, with applications
received from Kentucky, New York, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and
California, and from a broad range of denominations including
United Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Presbyterian, Evangelical
Lutheran, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Roman Catholic
and Baptist. Rev. Gilbert stated: "We feel God is calling
Dr. Taylor to the position of Executive Director of the Kentucky
Council of Churches. Further, we believe that her background and
prior ministry gives Dr. Taylor a wealth of knowledge as well
as the passion for the work of the Council. She is that rare candidate
who brings world-wide breadth and passionate depth to the hope
and prayer of Jesus in John 17, that his followers might all be
one so that the world may believe."
For a press release that you may share in PDF form, please visit:
http://www.kycouncilofchurches.org/Director_Election/New_Council_of_Churches_Director_Press_Release.pdf
For a press release that you may share in MS Word form, please
visit:
http://www.kycouncilofchurches.org/Director_Election/New_Council_of_Churches_Director_Press_Release.doc
For a photo of Dr. Marian McClure Taylor, please see:
http://www.kycouncilofchurches.org/Taylor.jpg