10 Hemlock
Street, Park Forest, IL 60466
Phone:
708.747.1330
Fax:
708.747.1757
| Faith
United Protestant
Church
10 Hemlock
Street, Park Forest, IL 60466 |
|
|
Someone You Should Know
Debby Anderson The last day of June, 2007, was Debby Anderson's last day as our Church Council Moderator, so we thought that she should be the first subject of our new feature, "Someone You Should Know." We recently caught up with Debby, after a bible study class, and had a chat with her. Debby is a single mother of two grown girls, Amy and Margaret, and grandmother of four. Amy has one boy, Matthew who just graduated from college, and she recently moved to Madison, Wisconsin. Margaret has three girls and lives in Oneida, Illinois. Debby came to Park Forest and Faith Church in August of 1977, nearly 30 years ago, at the recommendation of a friend. She was attracted to Faith because of its diversity, youth program, and its close proximity to her home. Before coming to Park Forest, she lived in a very diverse community, near the University of Chicago, so Faith was a good fit for Debby and the girls. Debby had lived in Galesburg, and went to Knox College where she earned a degree in biology. Later, in 1981, she earned a masters degree. While working at Prairie State as a tutor for nursing students, she went back to get a nursing degree. She was awarded an Associates degree in Nursing from Prairie State College in 1993. This degree enabled her to better service her nursing students, and also to work as a part time nurse at a local hospital. When Max Geldean, her predecessor as Moderator , asked her to be Vice-Moderator, she wasn't sure she was ready for the leadership role, but after thinking it over, she was grateful for the opportunity. As Vice-Moderator and then Moderator she felt supported and liked the teamwork of the council and the congregation. Debby said "I felt honored to be asked to be Moderator. Each Moderator can pick his or her own Vice-Moderator, who is then approved by the council and by the congregation." The Vice-Moderator succeeds the Moderator after the two year term is served. This allows for two years of training for the Vice-Moderator. Debby had more time to give to moderator since she has been retired. She relates, "As Moderator, my role was to coordinate the church through a difficult time, further complicated by the retirement of pastor Steve Hanning. But we have come through it well, due to all of the supportive people. They included the council and committee that picked our interim Rev. Tom O'Connor: Donna Moore, Bob Edison, and Peggy Wing. We also received help from Rev. Edward Good from CMA. In his role as Association co-minister, he gave us good advice and got us started, and helped through the process. We have been so thrilled with Reverend Tom. We are looking at new ways of doing things. Tom will be a great help in our transition." Debby feels that things are looking up. There is a good spirit at the church. Morale is good, and people are open to new ideas. Debby continues to be drawn to Faith because she always has had good experiences here, though at times, there have been some people who were so negative; the cup is always half empty for them. "We need to remember that it is God’s church, not ours; we are just caretakers." |
| webmasters: Johnston | Clark ~ last updated 11/19/2006 |