The Rev. Dr. Glen Bell joins Foundation staff

Bell comes to the Foundation after extensive parish work and mid-council involvement

by Robyn Davis Sekula of the Presbyterian Foundation | Special to Presbyterian News Service

the Rev. Dr. Glen Bell

JEFFERSONVILLE, Indiana — The Rev. Dr. Glen Bell, an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) with 30 years of experience, joined the Presbyterian Foundation on Aug. 31 as Senior Vice President of Development.

Bell’s significant experience as a spiritual and administrative leader in both large and small congregations in the PC(USA), as well as with ministries and organizations with significant theological diversity, made him an excellent choice for the position, says the Rev. Dr. Tom Taylor, President and CEO of the Foundation.

“Glen knows the PC(USA) well, and understands how congregations and ministries operate,” Taylor says. “He has the heart of a servant leader and can put both his knowledge and experience to great use for the benefit of the entire Church. We’re excited to have him on our team and are looking forward to working with Glen.”

Bell and his team are responsible for the development operations of the Foundation which consists of guiding congregations as they plan for the future, asset gathering from churches and individuals, stewardship education and fundraising consulting services to other Presbyterian organizations.

Bell says he felt called to serve at the Foundation because of his experiences at the national PC(USA) level as well as across presbyteries. He has been a member of a General Assembly committee, and very involved in NEXT Church, among many other leadership activities. “It’s been very meaningful to me to be involved in servant leadership in the Church,” Bell says. “It’s a way to be a part of the ecology of the Church, and a way to make an impact on the world. The Foundation has an outstanding reputation and I’m looking forward to joining the team and learning from my colleagues in ministry.”

Bell most recently served as pastor and head of staff at First Presbyterian Church in Sarasota, Florida. During his time there, he helped to launch a capital campaign to shore up the church’s property and sustain its ministries to the community. “By the end of that campaign, we were 25 percent over our goal,” Bell says. “People got very engaged and very excited, and they were very generous. It made such an impact on that church and its ability to continue its ministry far into the future.”

The church was recently able to make a gift to help build permanent housing for farm workers in Immokalee, Florida. Housing for the workers is often sub-standard and isn’t built to survive Florida’s challenging weather, including hurricanes. The church stepped up to help make better housing a reality for the workers, he said.

Bell’s experience in the PC(USA) began with his ordination in eastern North Carolina in 1988. Bell then served as pastor of Old Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church in Laurinburg, North Carolina; pastor/head of staff of Faith Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana; and executive pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis.

Outside of serving as a pastor, Bell has written for Journal for Preachers, Presbyterian Outlook and Family Ministry. He has been the opening preacher for the PC(USA)’s Stewardship Kaleidoscope conference. He has served on the boards of NEXT Church, Presbyterian Outlook, and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Bell has extensive experience with mid councils, having served as a Moderator of Whitewater Valley Presbytery. He has also served as a member of the Committee on Ministry in Presbytery of Coastal Carolina, Whitewater Valley Presbytery, and Peace River Presbytery.

Bell is a Doctor of Ministry graduate of McCormick Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity graduate of Union Presbyterian Seminary, and a Bachelor of Arts graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Robyn Davis Sekula is Vice President of Communications and Marketing at the Presbyterian Foundation. She can be reached at robyn.sekula@presbyterianfoundation.org.