The 224th General Assembly of the PC(USA) will be held June 20-27, 2020 in Baltimore, MD. For more information about the upcoming assembly, visit their website. UPDATE: due to the spread of COVID-19, GA will be held online. Read more HERE.

Charleston Atlantic Presbytery elected its commissioners at the Fall 2019 Stated Meeting on December 10, 2019. Please keep our commissioners in your prayers as they prepare to attend General Assembly and serve God, their homes churches, our presbytery, and the PC(USA).

Ruling Elder Commissioners:

Priscilla Holtzclaw grew up in Charleston and received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from Furman University. Earning her MD degree from MUSC, she practiced as a family physician and a full-time hospice physician. She is now enjoying retirement. She and her husband Jim have three children and five grandchildren. Being a Gigi is fun!A long-time member of Westminster Presbyterian. she sings in the choir, plays in the handbell choir and is active in the Women of the Church. She has served as an Elder, worked with numerous committees and currently has the privilege of serving as the Clerk of Session. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina, helping to provide quality senior living facilities for our older members. Over the past three years, Priscilla has been attending the SC Lay School of Theology with the intent of becoming a lay pastor, which will hopefully provide new opportunities to work with her church and the Presbytery. She has made mission trips to a sister church and school in Coban, Guatemala over the past three years, and remains passionate about the need of our churches to be involved in effective global mission partnerships.

Irene M. Whaley is a member of Edisto Presbyterian Church on Edisto Island, SC. Irene presently serves as an Elder, Shepherd Leader, Co-Chairperson of the Worship Committee, Vice Moderator of Edisto PW, a member of the choir, a member of the Presbyterians Concerned about African American Youth Steering Committee (PCAAY), and the Clerk of Sesson. Irene also served as a Youth Advisor and Sunday School Teacher. Irene is also the Secretary of CAP PW, a member of the CAP Shepherding Team and Personnel Committee, and a member of the CAP Hands of Christ Steering Committee. Irene has also completed the Lay School of Theology. Irene is married to Charles A. Whaley, who is also a member of Edisto Presbyterian Church. They are proud parents of three adult sons and two awsome grandchildren, Kasen and August Whaley.

Teaching Elder Commissioners:

Reverend Patricia Bligen Jones, a native of Edisto Island, SC, was born in Charleston, SC. She is a 1985 graduate of Baptist Hill High School; and a 1989 graduate of Morris College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and a minor in History. She is a 2016 graduate of Erskine Theological Seminary, where she earned a Master of Divinity degree. Reverend Jones served as a Ruling Elder in St. James Presbyterian Church, (USA) for three-terms, where she served as moderator of several ministries, including Service and Worship. For nearly 20 years, Rev. Jones worked in 9-1-1 Public Safety Communications, where she served as a training supervisor and instructor. In 2018, she was ordained and installed as pastor of Hebron Zion Presbyterian Church, (PCUSA), making her the first female pastor in the church’s history. She has been married to Carl Jones for 28 years and they have two children, Avery Jordan, 24, and Peyton Leigh, 18.

Reverend Dr. Patrick Perryman was born in Texas and grew up in Orlando, Florida. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities from Rollins College, a Master of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary. Patrick has served for 22 years in churches in Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina as well as Chaplain for Hospice Atlanta. Since 2010, Patrick has served as Head of Staff at First Presbyterian Church of Beaufort. He has a passion for local outreach and has also led rural and urban mission trips to Mexico, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Jamaica. As a member of several presbyteries, he has served on the New Church Development Committee, Self Development of Peoples Committee, Committee on Peace, Unity and Purity, and has served our own presbytery’s Vision Task Force. Patrick was the guest preacher for the Charlotte Presbytery for a meeting devoted to race relations in the wake of the tragic events Mother Emanuel Church. Patrick has been married to Sissy for 21 years and is the father of Walker and Holland, a junior and sophomore in high school.

Young Adult Advisory Delegate:

John White is a senior vocal major at Charleston Country School of the Arts. When he’s not volunteering, studying, singing Sinatra at a local restaurant, teaching Cotillion at Society Hall, or Hosting at Grace and Grit, he’s probably at church. John White has been a member of First Scots since he was confirmed in the 8th grade. Prior to becoming an adult member of the church he sang in church choir, volunteered in the nursery, travelled to several Maryville conferences, and served on the Youth Leadership Team and as a Docent giving tours of the historic church. As an adult member he took an even more active role in the church serving on the Stewardship Committee for three years as well as becoming ordained and installed as an elder. In his sophomore year John joined the Presbyterian Youth Council to lead middle and high school retreats to Bethel Woods. In the summers he travels to Montreat with his youth group. They have also traveled to Chicago, the Dominican Republic, San Francisco, and Puerto Rico on mission trips. John White also volunteers with several local nonprofits. He has spent the last three summers volunteering with Hands of Christ distributing school supplies and uniforms to students in Charleston. Additionally John White is a Team Leader for Charleston Area Justice Ministry, an interfaith coalition of congregations that fight to right injustice in the community, working on issues like high suspension rates in failing schools and increased access to affordable housing for Charleston’s working class. His involvement with these organizations has not only allowed him to better serve the community but also make lasting friendships with members of fellow congregations in the presbytery. After graduation John White looks forward to attending college to study Engineering and Vocal Performance and potentially attending the 224th General Assembly in Baltimore.

Alternates are Elder Betty Bryan and Rev. Lisa Schrott.