The 222nd General Assembly was held June 18-25 in Portland, OR.  Charleston Atlantic Presbytery elected at three ruling elders, three teaching elders, and one young adult advisory delegate at our December 2015 meeting and commissioned them during worship at our May 2016 meeting.

You can read more about the General Assembly on the OGA website.

Meet our Commissioners and be in touch with them if you want to learn more about GA:

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Teaching Elders

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Becky Albright serves as Associate Pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Beaufort, SC. She received her Masters of Divinity from Union Presbyterian Seminary, Charlotte, NC campus after being called into ministry as a mature adult. As part of this educational process, Becky completed the parish supervised ministry or internship at First Presbyterian Church-Beaufort. During this process, Becky felt great love and support from the congregation and was able to experience a variety of worship, teaching, and pastoring opportunities. In July 2012, Becky was called by First Presbyterian Church-Beaufort to be Assistant to the Pastor.

Becky lived in Hilton Head or Bluffton for the past 35 plus years and was a member of First Presbyterian Church (HHI) for almost as long. She served as Treasurer, President, Elder, Organist, Part-Time Business Administrator, chaired the Finance Committee, chaired the Membership Committee, served on Stewardship, Endowment, and led the Money$mart$ program at First Presbyterian.

Prior to being called into ministry, her business career was in the bookkeeping and accounting fields. She owned and operated her accounting business until the spring of 2007. Becky grew up in Lexington, SC in the Lutheran denomination, and graduated from Lexington High School. It was at St. Stephens Lutheran Church where her strong faith was planted, encouraged, and grew – yet it was in the Presbyterian environment, where the Holy Spirit moved her to resonate with the polity, confessions, and worship services.

Her volunteer life outside the church includes Past Treasurer of Boys and Girls Club of Bluffton, Past Treasurer of Volunteers in Medicine Clinic, Past Member of VanLandingham Rotary Club, Past President of Exchange Club of Hilton Head, Past Board Member of HH Orchestra and Charter Member of Women in Philanthropy.

Becky is married to Bob Albright, lives in Beaufort, and enjoys interaction with their three adult children, grandchildren, other family members, and friends. When Becky is not at First Presbyterian Church in Beaufort, SC, she enjoys the beach, reading, gardening, and playing the piano.

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Maggie Frampton Beamguard – I consider it a great privilege and joy to have served for over thirteen years as a teaching elder in large and small congregations across our denomination. Upon graduating from Columbia Theological Seminary, I served as an Associate Pastor for First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, TN, Pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Winston Salem, NC and currently as Associate Pastor, of First (Scots) Presbyterian Church. I have enjoyed opportunities to work with colleagues in ministry, serving the Middle Tennessee, Salem and Charleston Atlantic Presbyteries on various committees, joining the leadership team of the Salem Presbyterian Interracial Dialogue (an organization with a twenty year history), participating in a Montreat Youth Planning Team as the Morning Director and occasionally leading women’s retreats for sister churches. As a member of the Charleston Atlantic Presbytery, I served as a member of the Visioning Task Force and gained a deep appreciation for the diversity within our presbytery and the many gifts our congregations have to offer as we support and encourage one another in our calling to share the good news of Jesus Christ. My husband David and I are the proud parents of two daughters, Charlotte and Norah, who delight us with their laughter and individuality. I spend my free time coaxing things to grow in our vegetable garden and ignoring the housework in order to spend more time reading, coloring and watching the Tigers at my Alma Mater, Clemson, play football.

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Bob Capers – Pastor of Bethel (Johns Island) and Salem (Wadmalaw Island) since 1977. “Bob” was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. He is the youngest of five children. Bob has endeavored to offer innovative Christian leadership that enables people within and beyond the church to experience and respond to the gracious love of God. To this end, Bethel and Salem have developed new and enhanced existing ministries. Bob is also passionate about equipping Christians to grow spiritually. Christian leadership, preaching God’s Word, and ministering to Ministers. Bob along with his wife are co-founders of Capers Preparatory Christian Academy, a school that stresses academics in a Christian environment.

Bob received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Rust College, where he was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. He earned the Master of Divinity from Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center and he was a fellow of the Pastor-Theological Program at Princeton Theological Seminary. He presently serves on Charleston Atlantic Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry and as a Disaster Relief Coordinator and Synod Commissioner; “a servant of God, a servant to God, a servant for God,” and a father of two sons and one daughter.

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Ruling Elders

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James D. Collett, Jr.

Born: April 29, 1947 in Washington D.C. Married
Address: 15 Wild Laurel Lane Hilton Head Island, SC 29926 Telephone: 843 689 9890
Education: BA in Political Science, Denison University MA in Real Estate, University of Florida
Work: US Air Force 1969 to 1973 Bell System/ Bell Atlantic/ Verizon 1974 to 1999 Worked primarily in Real Estate 1974 to 1983 and Systems Planning 1984 to 1999.
Church Activities in order:
Member of First Presbyterian Church, Hilton Head Island
Became a Presbyterian when I married my wife in 1977 – formerly Episcopalian
Clerk of Session – Prince of Peace Presbyterian Church, Crofton, Maryland
Presbytery New Church Development Committee of Baltimore Presbytery that led to starting Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church
Clerk of Session – Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church in Odenton, Maryland
Alternate Commissioner to General Assembly for Baltimore Presbytery
Chair of New Church Development for an African American Church in Baltimore
Two terms as Ruling Elder at First Presbyterian Church of Hilton Head Island
Co Chair of major renovation and expansion of FPC HHI

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Elder Margaret Mitchell-Rivers is a native of Edisto Island, South Carolina. Margaret is a lifelong member of the Edisto Presbyterian Church where she started her Christian journey. She has and continues to serve in many capacities in the Church. She served as Clerk of Session, Church School Teacher, Youth Advisor, Presbyterian Women Moderator and Choir member. She currently serves a Chair of the Budget and Finance Ministry Unit.

Margaret also gives of her time at the Presbytery level. She serves as the Treasurer and on the Finance Committee. She has assisted on numerous occasions with Ordination and Installation Services in the Presbytery when called upon. She attended the Lay School of Theology taking courses in Worship and Theology and Polity.

She received her B. A. Degree in Business Administration from Voorhees College, Denmark, South Carolina and a B. S. Degree in Education from the College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina.

Margaret is a retiree after thirty-three years as the Human Resource Manager for the South Carolina Department of Transportation, District Six area serving Charleston, Berkeley, Beaufort, Jasper, Dorchester and Colleton Counties.
Margaret is married to Minister MacKenneth Rivers and they have one son, MacKenneth Rivers, II.

Margaret has never served as a Commissioner to the General Assembly, however, she has attended two as a visitor and as a committee representative from the Self-Development of People Committee. Margaret’s calling is serving God and her Church.

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Marilyn Muckenfuss – I am a retired elementary school teacher. I spent 34 years educating children at Stiles Point Elementary. I have been married to my husband, Milton, for 3I years and we have 3 wonderful sons. Milton and I both grew up on James Island and my husband and I bought the family home from my parents in 1986. I have had the privilege of being a member of James Island Presbyterian for 57 years. I was baptized at James Island Pres. and have watched in awe as the church has grown and changed over the years.  As a member I have served as a youth leader, Sunday school teacher, Bible School teacher and director, James Island Presbyterian Foundation board member and ruling elder. As an elder, I chaired the worship and music committee(3 years) and served as the clerk of session (9 years). I am presently a member of the worship and music committee, Child Protection committee, bell and chancel choir. I co-direct the cherub choir and serve as one of the wedding directors for our church. Being part of a vibrant and service oriented congregation has been such a blessing in my life and the life of my family. Being nominated for the position of commissioner at General Assembly has been an exciting and humbling experience. I look forward to the possibility of representing our Presbytery and taking a new step forward in my faith walk.

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Young Adult Advisory Delegate

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Dhmir A. Grant is currently a second year Master of Health Administration student at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and will be graduating in May 2016. She is a member of St. James Presbyterian Church (USA) located in Charleston, South Carolina.

As a student, Dhmir is involved in several organizations that foster leadership and growth in her professional life. Dhmir is the treasurer of Student Health Professionals Recognizing Diversity (SHPURD), a member of the Raymond S. Greenberg Presidential Scholars Program, American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), and National Association for Health Services Executives (NAHSE), and a student representative for the MUSC College of Health Professions Diversity Task Force. Dhmir is also an intern for the University Chief Diversity Officer at MUSC and coordinates all diversity and inclusion initiatives across the entire enterprise.

Dhmir received her Bachelors of Science in Business Administration and minor in Spanish from Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC. As a student at PC, she was the Vice President of the Multicultural Student Union and the Student Union Board as well as a member of Celtic Cross and the Society for the Advancement of Management. Dhmir was among the first group of students to live in the intentional Christian living community, The Nest, at Presbyterian College. The Nest is a residential community that works jointly with the Office of Religious Life to harvest a nurturing spiritual environment for the entire college community. In spring 2013 Dhmir had the opportunity to study abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina for a semester. While abroad Dhmir lived with a host family and took business and Spanish courses at Universidad de Belgrano with Argentines and other international students.

As a member of St. James Presbyterian Church, Dhmir works with the youth advisor team, Scholarship Committee, and the St. James Women’s Conference Planning Committee. Growing up in the church she held several positions in the Youth Group, including moderator and served on the Presbyterian Youth Council for the Charleston Atlantic Presbytery, and attended many Presbyterians Concerned about African American Youth (PCAAY) retreats and National Black Presbyterian Caucus (NBPC) conferences.