Neighbor News
First Female Head of Staff of Over 250-year-old Historic Church
Reverend Dr. Shelly Wood Joins Old Presbyterian Meeting House as Pastor and Head of Staff
Rev. Dr. Shelly Wood has joined the Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Old Town Alexandria as Pastor and Head of Staff.
After a twelve-month nationwide search, Rev. Dr. Shelly Wood was unanimously recommended by the Pastor Nominating Committee and joined the Old Presbyterian Meeting House in April 2024. She has served congregations across the Midwest, in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana and is thrilled to be called to serve in Virginia. Reverend Wood holds a Doctorate in Ministry (focusing on Strategic Planning and Visioning) and Masters in Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary and a Masters in Counseling from Eastern Illinois University. She has a background in domestic violence advocacy, family systems and conflict resolution.
For over 20 years Pastor Shelly has brought sacred communities together in faith. She believes this is a pivotal moment in history to be part of the church in the world and is blessed to be a part of that history making.
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“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Wood,” said Eric Johnson, chair of the search committee. “This is an exciting time in the life of the church. The pandemic made so many of us examine our priorities, and we all felt so much need. We have much to do here in Alexandria and the world, and we are thrilled that Dr. Wood has come to join with us as we grow in faith while we do that work.”
In accepting the call to join the Meeting House ministry, Pastor Shelly shared, “I have heard God’s call to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed with ‘energy, imagination and love’ at the Meeting House. This is indeed a strange and wondrous calling and a unique time to be the church in the world. I have tremendous hope and anticipation for the future of the Meeting House.”
Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Presbyterians trace their history to the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. Today, the Presbyterian Church remains true to its early roots while being relevant to today’s world. The Old Presbyterian Meeting House is a theologically progressive Reformed Protestant congregation affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. All are welcome.
For more information, please visit https://opmh.org/.
