Nominated Elders & Deacons – Congregational Meeting on March 17
Congregational Meeting – March 17
Every year, Covenant Partners at HP Pres nominate members from our congregation to serve as elders and deacons at our church. This year, on Sunday, March 17, after the 11 am worship service, we are holding a congregational meeting to elect our newest elders and deacons. Learn more about the nominees and what it means to be an elder and a deacon below:
What is an Elder?
Our church is led by three types of ministers, elders, deacons, and pastors, each called to serve Jesus, and our church family in distinct ways. The Session is made up of twenty-four men and women who are elected by the congregation (Elders) and two of our pastors. They govern our church and provide spiritual and visionary oversight of our ministries and mission. Read the Elder requirements and responsibilities here.
Elder Nominees
Earl Blankenship
Earl and his wife Kim have been married for 44 years. They have three adult children and five grandchildren. Before joining HP Pres in 2017, Earl served as an elder at Second Presbyterian Church (EPC) in Memphis, TN, and as a strategic advisor for Redeemer NYC in their global church planting initiative. He served on the HP Pres committee that developed the Spiritual Growth Plan introduced in December 2019.
Will Craine
Will Craine and his wife Ansley have two elementary aged children, Robert and Frances. The Craines have been members of HP Pres for over four years. Ansley and Will love volunteering in the elementary aged ministry on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. Will served on the board of Community Bible Study for six years and currently leads a Bible study with his dad that serves a South Dallas live-in drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic.
Jen Melson
Jen has been a member at HP Pres for 16 years. She is married to Jed and they have four boys, ages 12 to 3. She has served with Marriage Prep, Vacation Bible School, Teach Me to Pray, and the Start Here team. She is currently active as the moderator of Treasure Keepers, on the teaching team for Anchor, teaching 1st grade Sunday school, and a leader for newlywed small groups.
Robin Pou
Robin has been a member of the church since middle school. He and his wife, Karen, were married at the church by their HP Pres youth pastor, Murray Gossett. They have three children. He has taught Sunday school for the children’s and adult ministry including the Connections Class. He served on a Pastor Nominating Committee and has held various other roles in the church.
Tim Roberts
Tim is married to his lovely wife Tana Roberts and together they have three children (8th, 6th and 3rd grade). Tim has been active at HP Pres for about a decade, becoming a member in 2016. He enjoys Tuesday mornings at Ascent with his Table 5 brothers, supporting the youth ministry on Sunday mornings teaching Sunday School with Tana, and is actively involved with the marriage/couples ministry through Re|Engage. Tim has been a Deacon since 2020 and is currently serving on the Slate Making Task Force.
Terese Stevenson
Terese and her husband Scott were invited to come to HP Pres when they were a newly engaged couple and Terese has served in numerous capacities in ministry both as a lay person and for a season as a staff member at HP Pres since. This includes serving as Moderator and then Director of Child Care; service in the Day School; Sunday School teaching; participation in outreach mission that led to her accepting the position of Director of Urban USA Mission. She has also served as a deacon. Her main passion has been supporting Kingdom ministry locally and across the world and she has served on the World Mission Committee. Terese is interested in seeing Kingdom resources stewarded where there is great need, and has enjoyed serving on the board of the Foundation at HP Pres as well as in her current vocational role. A personal passion is around vulnerable children and justice issues. Terese is currently serving on the leadership team at Good Shepherd Oak Cliff, desiring to help welcome others into the community of faith.
Nancy Seay – to fill the vacancy for the Class of 2024
Nancy joined HP Pres over 50 years ago when she married. She has been a widow since 2015, but both of her children live nearby and belong to our church. Grandchildren are a special joy. Nancy was actively involved with Langham Partnership and Sky Ranch at Ute Trail before becoming an Elder in 2016 at which time she also joined the Campus Vision/Building Committee. She is currently active in Circle 3, the Bell Class, Discipleship Partners, and is serving as a governing Elder.
Tom Leiser – to fill the vacancy for the Class of 2026
Tom has been a member of HP Pres for over 28 years. He is married to Phyllis and has three adult sons, Hunter, Hamilton and Hudson. Tom has been a Deacon, Elder for 12 years, and has served as member of Board for the Day School including Moderator, he served on the Church Planting committee for over 14 years, including multiple years as moderator. Tom has been involved with Cuba Task Force (now Crosswaters Ministries) for 25 years. He has many ministry interests outside of HP Pres including, East-West Ministries, The Jesus Film, and Vision Africa.
What is a Deacon?
Our church is led by three types of ministers, elders, deacons, and pastors, each called to serve Jesus and our church family in distinct ways. Our deacons help build up our church community through ministries emphasizing spiritual care, prayer, and connection. They live across all our neighborhoods and are dedicated to helping people find and follow Jesus by ministering to them and offering guidance, love, and support. Read the Deacon requirements and responsibilities here.
Deacon Nominees
Dee Blakeney
Dee is a lifelong member of HP Pres. She serves on the Early Childhood Sunday teaching team. She has been part of the Discipleship Conversation ministry as well as the Chancel Choir. She is a member of the ACTS Too Sunday school class. She is married to her husband, Tom.
Tom Blakeney
Tom is a lifelong member of HP Pres. He is married with two adult children. He has served on an Officer Nominating Committee and a Pastor Search Committee. He is currently involved in the Discipleship Conversations program and has been a member of the Acts Two Sunday School class since shortly after it began.
Laura Clift
Laura has been an active member of HP Pres for 44 years. She is married to Charles and has four married children and 14 grandchildren. She has served in many capacities throughout the years. She was involved in helping to bring the Novo Spiritual Authority Cohort ( now known as Teach Me to Pray) to Dallas and to our church. She is serving on the Prayer Teams that have grown out of that class and is one of the leaders of the Inner Healing Prayer Team. She loves to encourage people in their walk with the Lord.
Stuart Cochran
Stuart Cochran is a lifelong resident of the Park Cities and has been a member of HP Pres for most of his life. Stuart is married to Annie Stull Cochran, with whom he shares a blended family of four lovely daughters. Stuart and Annie have taught Sunday school at HP Pres for many years. Outside the church, Stuart is a partner at the Condon Tobin law firm, where he practices business litigation.
Nash Evans
Nash Evans, along with his wife and two kids moved to Dallas, Tx in 2019. After attending a few services, they knew this was their church home. They joined the church in 2020. He has helped with starting multiple small groups since becoming a member. He enjoys volunteering monthly in his children’s Sunday school classes. He attends the Ascent men’s bible study weekly.
Andrew Harper
Andrew has been a member of HP Pres since November of 2019. He is married with two children, 10 and 12. Growing up in Park Cities, he developed a strong compassion for the most vulnerable in Dallas, prompting him and his wife to become involved in foster care, where they have fostered five children over the last six years. Outside our city, he is active in Mission Emanuel, leading multiple trips to the Dominican Republic focused on community transformation.
Anna Harper
Anna has been a member of HP Pres since November 2019. She and her husband Andrew have a 4th grade son and a 6th grade daughter. She has a passion for serving the low-income families in our broader DFW community as the Director of Programs for Partners in Opportunity, and she and her family have fostered five young children over the past six years through Dallas County CPS. She is on the board of one of HP Pres’ international mission partners, Mission Emanuel, where she has been involved for over 20 years leading short-term trips and helping the country’s national rehabilitation organization raise the level of patient care for physical therapy and other rehabilitation services.
Bethany House
Bethany House has been a member of Highland Park Presbyterian for 15 years. She is married with one elementary-age child. She serves as a Sunday School Teacher in Highland Kids and volunteers with the Connections and Community Group teams.
Shana Millican
Shana has been a member at HP Pres for over 14 years. She is married for almost 25 years and has one son, a freshman at HPHS. She was a Sunday school teacher and has participated in ReEngage and Treasure Keepers. She is currently serving as a table host in her 4th Alpha session and is an active participant in Anchor. In addition to her involvement at HP Pres, she is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Dallas and has spent time volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and The Salvation Army. She is excited about the opportunity to be a Deacon and better serve our church.
Lee Oden
Lee was raised and confirmed at HP Pres in 1977. After college, while living in Houston, he was a member and children’s Sunday school teacher at 1st Presbyterian Houston. He rejoined HP Pres 10 years ago. He has volunteered at the Stewpot and participates in Ascent Men’s Bible Study. Lee has four adult children and three grandchildren, all covenant members at HP Pres.
Rich Paterik
Rich has been a member at HP Pres since 1989. He is married to Becky, and they have two adult children, Bradley and Brice. He is a reserve elder and deacon, and is a current member of the Chancel Choir, and has been involved in the Elliott Handbell Ensemble, Trinity Class, teaching Sunday School, and a Discipleship Leader. He is currently active as a leader with the Re | Engage Marriage Enrichment program.
Karen Pou
Karen grew up in the church and was confirmed as a teenager while in the youth program at HP Pres. She is married with three children. She helped start the Journey Class as the newly married class at the time. She has been a Sunday school teacher, VBS volunteer, and an Anchor Bible Study leader. She has also served as Treasurer for the Presbyterian Women’s Ministry.
Misty Quinn
Misty has been a member of HP Pres for 24 years. She and Chris have been married for 28 years and have two children, Jack and Emily, who are in college. For 15 years she was the early childhood chapel leader, director of the Carol Choir and VBS early childhood music leader. She has been a confirmation leader, served on the early childhood committee, and has taught Sunday School and VBS. In addition, Misty has served the Journey School Sunday class for many years through a variety of leadership positions. She is currently an active member of our Chancel Choir.
Kathy Jo Usher
Kathy has been a member of HP Presbyterian for six years. Her career has been in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry, and she has lived in many cities in the US with various positions. Kathy sings with our Chancel Choir, has done volunteer work with the VNA, Humane Society, SPCA, and domestic abuse organizations. She has served on medical/mission trips to Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Kathy has a Masters in International Management Studies, an MBA in Organizational Theory, Strategy, and Business Policy, and a Graduate Certificate in Executive and Professional Coaching. She is honored to be serving as a deacon for HP Presbyterian.
Bob White
Bob and his wife Brenda joined HP Pres after they married and became active in the Agape Sunday School class. They worked with the college programs before they had children. After they had children, they volunteered in the early childhood program and then taught 3rd grade Sunday school for 10 years approximately. During that time, they became directors of the Elementary Sunday school program and recruited the Sunday school teachers. Bob also served as a Deacon in those years.
Brenda White
Brenda joined HP Pres with her husband Bob after they married and became active in the Agape Sunday School class. They worked with the college programs before having children. After their children were born, they volunteered in the early childhood program then taught 3rd grade Sunday school for around 10 years. During that time, they became directors of the Elementary Sunday school program and recruited the Sunday school teachers.
