Pastors

The Years of Raleigh Court under F. Tupper Garden

By Barbara Carter

Frank “Tupper” Garden took the reins in September 1991 and drove Raleigh Court forward until his departure in June, 2013. There was both a continuance of beloved tradition as well as innovation that shaped our future.

The Reverend Garden was installed on September 8, 1991, and at the end of that year our active members numbered 691. He instituted an early worship service in the chapel and made plans for Children in Worship for ages 3-5th grade.The Director of Christian Education, Margaret Norris, resigned because of health issues, and Reverend Garden recommended that Mary Lea Hartman be hired on a part-time basis. Children weren’t the only ones studying the Bible; the “Kerygma: Discovering the Bible” curriculum enjoyed overwhelming success in three adult classes. During this time a new church joined Presbytery of the Peaks, Peace Presbyterian.

Parish Associate, “Stretch” Stephens, spent several months leading the Visitation Committee, but he resigned in June, and a new Associate Pastor took over. Gene Edmunds was employed in January, 1994, and she was honored with a Preschool scholarship in her name when she left in December 1995.

During these years, RCPC began a feasibility study for expansion and renovation, and the Capital Fund Raising Campaign set a target of $1.8 million. The 735 active members in 1994 sponsored a family from Haiti through Roanoke’s Refugee Resettlement Program and helped complete a house for Habitat for Humanity. We also worked to resume a relationship with the Church of the Nazarene, a “sister” church in Guatemala. Session provided $1,900 for three church members to attend a Presbyterian seminar in Guatemala, and we donated $1,000 to the Pere Albert School in Haiti to purchase a truck.

At home, the Preschool was restructured to have an Elder on the Preschool Board. They now answered directly to Session instead of a sub-committee under Nurture and Education. The first playground was constructed on the church grounds for our children.

The Reverend Collier Harvey began as Parish Associate, and RCPC member Lisa Poole requested to be enrolled as an Inquirer in Preparation for the Office of Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the PCUSA, one of several to come!

Motley and Associates were approved for the addition and renovation project with a budget not to exceed $2.25 million, and Martin Brothers would do the actual construction. Another construction project was a school in Levoire, Haiti, and Session approved $10,000 from the Capital Fund Campaign to begin work. Gifts given in memory of Dr. James Allison would provide scholarships for RCPC members who participated in international mission trips or work/study. Habitat for Humanity received $4,000. Those were big projects for the congregation that had now grown to 770.

In 1997, we received word that the school in Levoire, Haiti would be named in honor of the late Dr. James Allison. RCPC sent an additional $5,000 to the school as well as funds to build desks. We also funded a church that was built adjacent to the school. Our Session voted to name our new fellowship hall, gathering area, and classrooms The James Allison Hall.

Dr. Joseph and Linda Markee of Leogane, Hati became our church missionaries. Bill Whitaker continued as Youth Director but also began to serve as Business Administrator. LOGOS, a new program for children and youth was accepted and scheduled to begin after training. Also in 1997, Mary Jo Shannon resigned as editor of The Herald, the church newsletter, and Glenna Fisher took over. Member Lee Cabiness made a “Prayer Garden” in front of the building as part of his Eagle Scout Project the following year.

Reverend Garden was considered “a friend to all,” and liked to encourage this in others, so he instituted the tradition of “Passing the Peace” during worship. We had another member, Steve Wicks, wish to enroll at Union Theological Seminary, and Session appointed a Task Force to help support him and his family.

October, 1999 marked the 75th Anniversary of Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church. Betty Merritt helped organize the celebration which culminated in a dinner and special worship service for the 792 active members.

Some staff changes came with the new millennium; The Reverend H. Davis Yeuell became the Parish Associate, and Bill Whitaker announced his resignation as Church Administrator. Session approved a tile mosaic to be installed in a window of the new fellowship hall. It was designed by Susan Allison, daughter of James Allison.

Rev. Yeuell moved away in 2001, and The Rev. Burt Newman took over as Parish Associate. That summer, William Alexander Moses from Austin Theological Seminary began as Associate Pastor. $12,000 of the sizeable donation from the estate of Ms. Harriett Wood was used to purchase furniture and equipment for the church library, which was renamed in her memory. A new program was instituted for the 11:00 a.m. service: interpretation for the Hearing Impaired would now be offered each Sunday.

The years 2002-2006 were growing years, and we reached our peak of 855 members. Summer services were condensed to one worship time at 10:00 during the summer, but a Wednesday morning service with communion was instituted. The Session was reduced from 18 to 15 members, and that body approved the Deacons’ recommendation that loose change offering the first Sunday of each month go to the Communion Fund.

The congregation of RCPC donated over $17,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief and put together over 400 Health Kits. In addition, Rev Garden and seven church members traveled to Kiln, MS for a week to be “boots on the ground” relief.

The 20th anniversary of Tupper Garden’s ordination was celebrated, along with the 45th anniversary of Bert Newman’s. In other staff news, DCE Mary Lea Hartman passed away, and RCPC member Susan Kessler was hired as part-time interim. Associate pastor Alex Moses resigned, and Julianne Hollingsworth was offered the position of Parish Associate for Visitation. Stuart Revercomb also joined the staff as Adult Programming Leader.

2004 was the first time a member, the late Walter Leigh, had his ashes inurned in the new Columbarium. Another big moment came when the final check to pay off the building was mailed to the bank in 2005.

In 2007, Session approved a 3 month sabbatical for our senior minister, and another show of appreciation was a 2011 resolution honoring Reverend and Mrs. Garden for 20 years of service and ministry. Associate Pastor Burt Newman resigned to take an interim position in Vinton, and Josh Robinson came aboard as our new Associate. Linda Marshall was hired as custodian in 2008 and in 2010 given the title of Building Supervisor. A young member, Rachel Erb, was enrolled as Inquirer in the Process of Becoming a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the PCUSA.

Session made several important decisions in the life of our congregation such as the following: Church officers elected to serve will follow the church calendar, not January – December. The Stephen Ministry was terminated after 18 years. Jenny McKenzie, a member who needs a sign language interpreter, has been aided exclusively by member Ellen Austin. Session approved $2,000 per year to give the current interpreter once-per-month relief.

Another young member, Richard Aylor, was enrolled as Inquirer in the Process of Becoming a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the PCUSA in 2012. That same year, DCE Susan Kessler retired, and the playground was named in her honor. RCPC member Leigh Sackett was named as Interim DCE, but a month later Session approved adoption of a Co-DCE model with Leigh Sackett sharing the job with Anne Travers. We were fortunate to have member Deanne Vance step in and agree to be Interim Choir Director and Organist. Another staff change was the addition of Betsy Prillaman who was hired to be Director of the preschool and a full member of staff.

The greatest change, however, was in April, 2013, when “with great regret,” Session accepted the resignation of Pastor Tupper Garden effective June 30, 2013. A new leadership seemed poised to take the reins: Joel Haywood was approved to be the next Choir Director/Organist, Bart Smith was offered a position as Part-Time Transitional Pastor for 1 year. In a short time, however, Associate Pastor Josh Robinson resigned to accept a call as Pastor and Head of Staff at Hope Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX, Joel Haywood resigned his music position in 2016, and Bart Smith left for Arizona.

The Reverend Carl Utley became Interim Pastor in October, 2013, and helped guide RCPC onto the path that lead our able Search Committee to extend the call to The Reverend Andrew Whaley to become the next Senor Pastor and Head of Staff at Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church. Sunday, June 28, 2015 was the date that the congregation joyfully voted to begin a new chapter under the leadership of young Reverend Whaley.

ADDENDUM

Beloved pastor Reverend Jim Allison developed cancer as he was nearing retirement age. As he stepped away, the church was well cared for with a succession of able interims/associates such as “Stretch” Stephens and Collier Harvey. Shortly after Reverend Allison’s Cancer was discovered our Search Committee selected Tupper Garden as Raleigh Court’s third Pastor. The two Reverends teamed well together resulting in a smooth transition from one administration to the next.

Reverend Allison and Tupper became good friends and Tupper supported him throughout his illness with frequent hospital visits during treatments. Reverend Allison lived several more years, attending RCPC with his wife Margaret, and enjoyed the luxury of having his own minister in his successor the Reverend Tupper Garden. They stayed remarkably close friends until Reverend Allison passed into Heaven.

Calling Andrew Whaley

Henry Schaefer, Chairman

Joe Clark

Craig Favor

Ann Muir Moomaw

Leslie Baldwin

Andy Corbin

Susan Kessler

Installation as pastor: September 14, 2015

The Rev. Andrew C. Whaley began his tenure as our fourth senior pastor on August 17, 2015. Andrew and his wife Rebecca, a paraplanning specialist with Ameriprise Financial, and their two children, Simon (3) and Joanna (6 months) moved to Roanoke from Jefferson City, Tennessee where Andrew had served as pastor at the First Presbyterian Church. A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Andrew double majored in Theatre and Religious Studies at Rhodes College, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary and was ordained in 2011.

Andrew’s was a unique beginning, as even before his first day, RCPC member Dick Smith, father of Leslie Baldwin of the Pastor Nominating Committee who called Andrew, died. Andrew’s first day, therefore, was a day when he conducted his first funeral in the chapel of RCPC, laying Mr. Smith’s ashes to rest in the columbarium.

Andrew embraced the history and story of the Raleigh Court Church, drawn to the founding poem “The Church of the Open Door.” In his early days he preached a sermon series on Open Doors throughout the Bible. Later, he drew out the stained-glass windows in the sanctuary in a “Worship Through the Windows” series, preaching through the stories depicted in each window from Christmas until Easter of 2016. This emphasis on the windows would prove helpful when he led a campaign to raise money for window restoration in 2018.

The beginning of Andrew’s tenure coincided with the departure of the First Presbyterian Church of Roanoke from the PC(USA), which meant that in his first months, thirty new members joined RCPC from that congregation, making for a wonderful beginning to a new ministry.

In his first year, Andrew worked with the Stewardship and Finance Committee to restore financial stability to the congregation and move us once again toward hiring an associate pastor. He worked with the Personnel and Administration Committee to hire Anne Currin as a new administrative assistant, and with members of the congregation was part of the committee that called Mitch Weisiger to Roanoke as our Director of Music Ministries and Organist.

In the fall of 2016, Andrew organized a hymnal dedication event, as RCPC adopted the Glory to God Hymnal of the Presbyterian Church to replace the 1991 Songs and Hymns and Spiritual Songs. For the event, the Rev. Dr. Eric Myers, a member of the committee that assembled the hymnal, came to Roanoke to educate the congregation on the new worship resource and to preach on Sunday morning. Many hymns from the new hymnal were introduced that morning and in subsequent months.

Using his musical gifts, Andrew introduced our congregation to the Themba Amen, a tune from South Africa that he learned from Scottish minister John Bell at the Montreat Worship and Music Conference when he was a teenager. Over multiple Sundays, he introduced the congregation to the four parts, and through repetition and continued use, it has become an identity piece for many members of the congregation. Some members have even requested it to be sung at the conclusion of their funeral services.

Working with our Endowment Board, Andrew appointed a group of the session to work on increasing the generosity of the endowment into the community. This committee ultimately created an annual percentage of the endowment that must be used each year mission within Roanoke and abroad. This prevented the withholding of funds for the purpose of growing the endowment but instead sought a balance between maintaining the fund and making an impact for God’s work in the present.

Andrew observed early on that an area for growth in our congregation was in finding spaces for people to grow in relationship with each other. He was instrumental in helping our congregation engage for three seasons in church-league softball (2017-2019), developing a congregational retreat at Massanetta Springs (2019 and 2023), and encouraging the Fellowship Committee to offer family movie nights and an annual Church Variety Show Talent Show event. Andrew also wanted to stay connected with our young adult members who had gone to college, so in 2018 he organized a group to attend the Montreat College Conference in January, a trip which he was dedicated to chaperoning as a way of keeping these young adults connected to God and to their church community.

Recognizing the Mission Study Report’s desire that the church engage more fully in the study of the Bible, Andrew put together a Year of the Bible Reading guide and worship series for the year of 2018 and 2019. Beginning with Genesis 1 on Rally Day in September, congregants were encouraged to read through the Bible in the year. To aid them, Andrew and our associate pastor Matthew Aldas made short video introductions to each book of the Bible, posted on YouTube for our members to watch. Our weekly devotionals, our Wednesday Communion services, and even our Bible studies for the year corresponded with this event. Many members read through the Bible in that year, and some have kept their reading guides to continue the practice.

During the midst of that program year, Andrew and Rebecca welcomed their third child, Ruth, in October.

In addition to engagement within the congregation, Andrew sought to strengthen the ties of RCPC to the Roanoke Community. He joined the Board of Directors of the Presbyterian Community Center in 2017 and worked with the board in the development of a new facility in southeast Roanoke. He also joined the board of Roanoke Area Ministries, working in the hiring of a new director for the organization and in other personnel and hiring matters. In 2018, Andrew was invited by the Chamber of Commerce to be part of Leadership Roanoke Valley, learning more about government, tourism, non-profits, and education within the region as well as developing ties to other influential leaders in the community.

Another goal for the Mission Study conducted in the interim between Tupper Garden and Andrew’s tenure was to develop a comprehensive building plan for the church. In 2018, with financial assistance from the Endowment Board, RCPC contracted with Hughes and Associates Architects and Engineers for a total building assessment. From the report made in March of 2019, the beginnings of a renovation plan were coming into place. Andrew guided the session through this review process. A committee was assembled to do the work and with input from the congregation and officers, worked out a new Master Plan which was unveiled in the Fall of 2019. Plans were in place for the first major construction project at RCPC since the addition of the Fellowship Hall in 1997 to begin in the summer of 2020!

On March 15, 2020, however, something happened that had never before occurred at the Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church. Worship was cancelled. The Novel Coronavirus known as COVID-19 had reach the United States and was spreading rapidly in the country, threatening the lives of millions of people. Andrew made the decision to cancel worship but gathered with the Director of Christian Education Leigh Sackett, director of Music Ministries Mitch Weisiger, and dedicated tech volunteer Fred Hoffman to livestream an announcement and a prayer and music of hope.

Andrew spoke of his hope that we would be together again by Easter. No one knew that it would not be until June of 2020 that anyone would enter the sanctuary again, and then in every third row and masked.

In the coming weeks, however, Andrew believed it essential that when everything else in life falls apart, we must turn to God, and the rhythms and structures of worship would be what would ground us in our faith and nurture hope in a time of wild uncertainty. With a few tech volunteers and other ministry staff, Andrew mounted the pulpit in his robe each week to preach to an empty sanctuary and into a camera as congregants engaged in live online worship, singing hymns, praying together, and passing the peace in the comments section. Worship would not be pre-recorded. It would be live. We would be as much “together” as we could even while apart.

Immediately Andrew led the staff to reinvent our congregational life, holding at the forefront that Christian faith is incarnational, living in our bodies and not on screens. Using the best medical knowledge we had at the time, the church worked together to bear witness to the Gospel in a time when an apocalypse was upon us.

Andrew organized the congregation into care groups by neighborhoods, inviting members to call and check on each other. He worked to develop outdoor meals on Wednesdays where people could gather at a distance. He taught Bible studies on Zoom for those who had minimal contact outside their homes. He made sure all of our benevolence dollars were immediately distributed to mission partners who would be serving the most vulnerable members of our city, and we saw our giving reach new levels of generosity.

For Easter of 2020, Andrew had the tech crew put speakers out on Grandin Road so that when the organ played the Hallelujah Chorus at the end of worship the entire neighborhood could hear. God would not be stopped by this virus. Grace reigned supreme. This was our call.

Small groups met outdoors. The Children’s Ministry took to the mountains on hikes. We held an outdoor Christmas pageant. We welcomed new members who joined over Zoom. We called an associate pastor, the Rev. Isabella Fagiani, risking some indoor meetings in the late spring to introduce her to Roanoke and our congregation. We held an ordination service for her that featured her mentor pastor in Scotland, her childhood pastor in New York, friends from across the country, all present virtually, while people of RCPC gathered in person and left “handprints” of blessing for her since not all could come forward for the laying on of hands.

And in the midst of online meetings, the renovation plans for the building reengaged, so that we would be prepared to finalize the work and commit to the fundraising in the winter and spring of 2022.

With each shift in the pandemic, and with vaccinations, Andrew worked with the Session to maximize ministry while maintaining caution and safety. Finally, in April of 2022, worshipers were able to gather at normal distance and without masks, as the COVID virus moved from pandemic fear to integrated part of American life.

That “return to normal” came just before we began the delayed renovation of the church building in the summer of 2022 and before Andrew’s sabbatical. His sabbatical in the summer of 2022 explored the influence of Swiss theologian Karl Barth on the life and ministry of American Presbyterian pastor Eugene Peterson. Andrew invited the Rev. Dr. George Stroup and the Rev. John Rogers to come to Roanoke as Theologians in Residence in his absence to allow the congregation to explore these two thinkers as well. Andrew initially presented this project as a grant through the Lily Foundation, but it was not accepted and funded. With great support and faith, the Session, however, chose to fund the experience and set up a Sabbatical Support Fund for all ministry level staff to help them to devise special experiences during their sabbatical time.

The years of 2022 and 2023 saw many changes. The building underwent extensive renovation. The church transitioned from Mitch Weisiger as the Director of Music Ministries to Dillon Swanson filling that role. Lois Morgan retired as the Financial Administrator and Lori Tosoni replaced her in that position. Anne Currin also retired, and Communications Coordinator Julie Satterwhite added those duties to her role.

Now as we approach the centennial of RCPC, Andrew is working with a Centennial Committee to put together a celebration weekend over Pentecost to honor the life and witness of Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church, the Church of the Open Door.

Associate pastors

By Robbie and Wade Whitehead

Bart Smith’s tenure with as RCPC was as Transitional Associate Pastor and lasted from September 2013 to February 2015 and was a part of the Pastoral Transition post departure of the Rev. Tupper Garden.

Bart Smith was contacted initially via email with the explanation that we were summarizing the History of RCPC from 1990 to the present. He was asked if he would share some of what he thought were the highlights of his time at RCPC.

Bart initially came onboard in a role that was not well defined. His role evolved into the Transitional Associate working with the fine staff. He also, mentioned he worked closely with Anne Travers and the youth during his time here.

The high point of his tenure was going to Haiti in 2015, to strengthen the relationships we have there and see what was being done at the school with the funds RCPC donates. Bart had the opportunity to take part/witness in the baptism of 63 persons while there.

Carl Utley filled RCPC’s need for an Interim/Transitional Pastor during the Pastoral Transition post departure of the Rev. Tupper Garden.

Carl Utley had specialized training as a transitional pastor and as such was able to lead RCPC through its transition following the retirement of its longtime beloved former pastor Tupper Garden and prepare the way for next called pastor to Raleigh Court.

Carl jumped in with both feet showing that he thoroughly understood interim/transitional ministry, was very intentional with no sense of wandering or being led.

He was motivated from the start to encouraging/pressing lay leadership, to air/clean the dirty laundry so to speak, do the housekeeping that needed to be done prior to the arrival of the next call pastor to Raleigh Court. He guided the RCPC lay leadership to address serious future financial ramifications if the current budgeting model/system continued being used. He motivated the lay leadership to redefine the importance of where/how they distributed funds.

Carl inspired leadership to act Sanctuary renovation - ceiling and new /upgraded audio. placement of the American flag in the Sanctuary.

He was fantastic at easing compromise, inspiring leadership, dragging out issues that the leadership needed to address.

Carl communicated the transition process, mapped it out terms that promoted an understanding by the lay leadership. He was good at getting the lay leadership on board and leading the process. He encouraged reflection and the election of officers capable of leading.

Carl had a full command of the interim/transitional ministry and how to communicate it to lay leaders.

Many capable and inspiring Interim and Associate Pastors have served Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church over the years, and we are grateful for their teachings, guidance, and friendships. Some of these people are listed here.

Gene Edmunds

Collier Harvey

Joe Hill
Julianne Hollingsworth

Alex Moses

Burt Newman

Stretch Stephens

Josh Robinson

Bill Whittaker

Skip Hastings
David Dixon

Soon after Rev. Whaley became pastor, the church Search Committee began to look for an Associate Pastor to aid in the growing congregation. After months of deliberation, Matthew Aldas was chosen as Youth Pastor. He and his wife, Kathryn, moved to Roanoke from Austin, TX with their three young daughters. Matthew was a recent seminary graduate and certainly honed his experience at RCPC. His snappy bow ties, cultural references, and ability to connect with others endeared him to the congregation, especially the Youth. He was recruited to become Pastor of Buchanan Presbyterian in August 2019.

Just one day after her seminary graduation and three months into the COVID-19 global pandemic, Isabella Fagiani was invited to interview with RCPC. She visited the church in June, 2020, accepted the call, and arrived on Sunday, August 30, which was Andrew Whaley’s five-year anniversary. The church welcomed Isabella with a drive-through reception parade, about which she said “I wouldn't see the bottom half of people’s faces for another year, but the welcome was so warm and joyful!”

Three months later, Isabella was ordained and installed September 20, 2020, as a Minister of Word and Sacrament and as RCPC’s Associate Pastor in a joint virtual service of Presbytery of the Peaks and her home Presbytery of Western New York. As a traditional laying on of hands was not possible, friends, family, and congregants traced their hands and wrote blessings on colored paper. These hand prints decorated the sanctuary and drew people together from far and near.

Isabella made an immediate impact on RCPC youth ministry. She embarked on a getting-to-know-you tour, which took her to driveways and porches of RCPC youth and families. During a time when many churches shuttered youth programs altogether, Isabella and RCPC Elder for Youth Ministry Robbie Whitehead worked to design and implement creative and safe ways for our youth to gather and grow. Zoom meetings became masked and distanced face-to-face events, and these eventually returned to a rhythm of weekly Sunday evening opportunities.

Through her energetic and creative mind, Isabella has grown the RCPC youth program into average attendance of two dozen each week. Important traditional activities, including lock-ins, support of the Homeless Assistance Team, the annual chili lunch fundraiser, and the Advent progressive dinner are complimented by new ones, which include Tree Top Quest at Explore Park, Massanetta Middle School Conference, and Hometown Mission Week. During confirmation, youth design special stoles (which, thanks to Isabella and Emily Jarrett, are sewn and gifted on Confirmation Sunday); these are worn every year on Youth Sunday as a reminder of community, commitment, and faith statements written and made during the confirmation process.

Isabella is joyful, dedicated, and loyal. She cares deeply about the physical, spiritual, and mental well-being of our youth and has worked tirelessly to advocate for their needs and their place in the church. Under Isabella’s leadership, our youth ministry is impactful and fun. As part of her ongoing innovation, she is now working on a long-term vision to support youth ministry at RCPC.

Bart Smith

Carl Utley

Matthew Aldas

Isabella Fagiani

Church History Table of Contents

History Home | Forward

Testimonials, Pastors, and Music