The Transition Team and the Presbytery Council are excited to announce that the council has unanimously approved the Transition Team's recommendation to hire Rev. Nancy Dolan as the Interim Executive Presbyter for Blackhawk Presbytery.  

Nancy comes to us from Chicago Presbytery where she was the pastor of Kirk of the Lakes Presbyterian Church and the Interim Head of Staff at the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest.  Before attending and graduating from McCormick Seminary, Nancy spent 17 years working in Human Resources Management for the Allstate Insurance Company. 

As the Transition Team spent time with Nancy over the past month, her love for the Lord, passion for ministry, personal warmth and care for people were evident to us.  During this same time period, the Covid-19 virus was changing our world and we noticed Nancy's flexibility to see and do things in new ways and her ability to communicate well over the phone and through video conferencing.  In our conversations, Nancy also highlighted the way in which the Lord has called her to places of transition and used her gifts to help his people through that transition.  Her gifts match the needs of Blackhawk Presbytery.  Nancy's official start date is April 1, 2020, but already she is beginning her work among us - starting Wednesday (3/25) by being present on the regional Zoom calls with pastors and also leading the way with the presbytery's Covid-19 response team.  We will introduce Nancy to the presbytery more fully at the April 14 Presbytery meeting (a video conference on Zoom), but for now, please welcome her and pray for the Lord's blessings in her life and over her leadership.  

The PDA Long Term Recovery Coordinator at Presbiterio del Noroeste in Puerto Rico, Danilie C. Hilerio Villanueva, invites volunteers to join their efforts this year. A PDA Volunteer Village host site, Casita Ebenezer, is ready to accommodate recovery teams to  Northwest Puerto Rico, still rebuilding after Hurricane Maria in September of 2017. This is one of five PDA sites in Puerto Rico (see more). Or read the the latest update on Puerto Rico following recent earthquakes, and a Hurricane update from April 2019. 

 

If you are interested in learning more and possibly setting up a mission trip, please see their brochure. The Presbytery would be delighted to see such a trip opened to Blackhawk members. When coordinating through PDA, the hosts will provide local support for schedules, accommodations, transportation, work sites and guidance on supporting initiatives for on-going projects.