Celebrating 20 years

Twenty years ago - in fall 1988 - the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - in the wake of the reunion of the Presbyterian Church's Northern and Southern streams - moved the offices of the majority of its merged units - from NYC and Atlanta - into a renovated couple of warehouses into what Louisville civic leaders hoped would become a Waterfront area - known until then mainly for its junk yards - along the Ohio River - just upriver from the 2nd Street Bridge. Today, they are parks, office buildings, restaurants, and - now - an aspiring pedestrian bridge and $500 million indoor arena. Mayor Abramson - then as now mayor of Louisville (off and on mayor for life - like Albany's Mayor Corning) - stopped the Atrium - built in between the two old warehouses - to mark the beginning of a citywide energy conversation contest - but also recognized the 20-year anniversary.

Covering the event was Monica Harden, the former Miss Kentucky whom we had been watching for several months as the traffic person on WLKY morning news (now moved to a reporter and weekend anchorperson role) - all in that Atrium just 20 or 30 feet from my 1st floor east office in the Presbyterian Center (a building that my Mom had been to several times for meetings before I started working here - and which Mom and I had visited (along with driving by Churchill Downs in the rain) back in the 1990s).

A couple of weeks later the formal 20 year anniversary celebration was underway, with a worship service in the chapel (which almost didn't get completed - as we already started running out of money before we had finished the building - money from the Walton (Wal-Mart) family helped finish the chapel, and $10,000 in cash donated on the spot - from the Presbyterian Church of Korea - bought the organ) and an anniversary program and annual staff recognition program back in the Atrium. The director of the largest unit that operates in the building, which I work for (the General Assembly Council), Linda Valentine, helped open worship. Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons sits in front of her.

A dancer - who turned out to be Lis, a new manager who'd come from Puerto Rico to supervise staffing of mission networks - helped open worship also.

My friend and former client, Unzu, offered a prayer.

Joe Small, another key manager, preached.

This shows a good picture of the chapel, facing south. What I didn't get was a picture of the chapel, facing north - with all of the interior plants and the beautiful window looking out over teh Ohio River and Southern Indiana (and Interstate 64). It's hard not to look out that window in chapel (though I haven't attended services there as often as I used to during my first couple of years (and they're a tad more intermittent)).

Another manager, who directs the Compassion section, joins in worship.

Gradye Parsons, a former client, adds a prayer.

Rhashell Hunter, who heads the women's and racial-ethnic ministries, leads us in communion. Some six weeks later Rhashell laid off three popular staffers, including two who worship at our church.

Rhashell, Liz, and Kevin Park - a new Korean American staffer - join in communion.

Linda Valentine helped kick off the event commemorating the 20th anniversary downstairs.

This time Mayor Abramsom had been called in to Washington, D.C., to help lobby the Obama transition team about the fiscal stimulus package. He spoke with us very energetically and fondly by video about the campaign to get the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - a campaign that ultimately persuaded the General Assembly to pass over the search team's recommendation - Kansas City - after Mom's friend Izzy Rogers, then PC(USA) moderator, allowed the Louisville delegation to make its pitch - which included a video with some 1,000 people out on the Belvedere - with signs like "I'm Catholic, but I'll convert!" - to show Louisville's enthusiasm for the move. PC(USA) is just another part of the downtown mosaic now - so it's hard to imagine all of this a little now - though - with the Presbyterian seminary and the Center (and the Foundation across the river Jeffersonville) - and a couple of big Presbyterian churches - Presbyterians are part of the fabric of Louisville (and no doubt the move brought another core of professionals and managers into town). Abramson (from one of two major U.S. cites with Jewish Democratic mayors and Congresspeople - the other is Las Vegas) obviously loves telling this story and apparently views this as a major success of his on again, off again administration.

One of the members of a PC(USA) committee from back then also spoke - recognizing the then Presbyterian seminary (who later resigned) who played an important role also. Missing was David Jones, the Humana (health insurance) executive who helped provide the land.

The program segued into the staff recognition event, recognizing staffers who had served for 5, 10 -- up to 40 years - and retirees. Our former manager did not return. Organizers had given us lines and asked us to reminisce in pairs about the different denominations of five - I think I reminisced about 1993 - and the pair below really hammed it up and had us all laughing (Joe and Mark).

Here's an OK shot of the atrium, as folks - including Gradye Parsons - looked on. Happy 20th birthday (ironic - as we just cleared out the 1st floor west and rented some of it out to the company planning the arena construction), Presbyterian Center!

-- Perry