Thankful Pastor Encourages Others to Apply for PC(USA) Loan Forgiveness
Dana Vaughn
July 22, 2016
As the Rev. Dana Vaughn was completing her studies at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, the Presbyterian Mission Agency was innovating several initiatives designed to allow Vaughn—and a new generation of risk-taking pastors like her—to transform the world through their ministries, while freed from the burden of educational debt.
The Mission Agency’s office of Financial Aid for Service—anticipating the churchwide movement known as 1001 New Worshiping Communities, which was approved by the 220th General Assembly (2012)—renamed and repurposed its debt assistance program to more clearly express its mission to both relieve pastoral debt and support church growth.
“Our intention was to utilize the resources entrusted to us to support entrepreneurial pastors of small, growing communities of faith to further the mission of Christ,” said Laura Bryan, coordinator of Financial Aid for Service in the the Theology, Formation and Evangelism ministry area.
The initiative, Transformational Leadership Debt Assistance (TLDA), was designed to forgive loans to seminary graduates who are serving in temporary and/or part-time pastoral positions in Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations of 150 or fewer members or in emerging worshiping communities. TLDA’s goal is to help reduce educational debt acquired by seminary graduates called to minister to communities without means to install a full-time pastor.
Vaughn, who was ordained in February 2014 by the Presbytery of the Peaks to serve as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Westfield, New York, is also the part-time minister for Celtic Vespers Fellowship, a new worshiping community of the Presbytery of Western New York.
“Celtic Vespers Fellowship began in 2015, when we realized there was such a strong interest in Celtic Christianity throughout the surrounding towns,” said Vaughn. “It has been an honor and a joy to serve both First Presbyterian and this new worshiping community over the past couple of years.”
At first, Vaughn didn’t realize she was eligible to apply for debt assistance through TLDA.
“This has been such a blessing and has alleviated a lot of stress for me,” she said. “And it was so simple! All I had to do was fill out one form and provide the office of Financial Aid with my student loan balance. There were no questions asked. They were just simply there to help.”
As the coordinator for 1001 New Worshiping Communities Vera White knows that starting a new worshiping community (NWC) involves risk for leaders and their families. “The road to sustainability is often long and rocky,” White said. “What a blessing that NWC leaders can access the resources of TLDA to help with the burden of educational debt!”
Bryan added that because many pastors “don’t see themselves in our program eligibility requirements,” she wants to emphasize the scope and the simplicity of TLDA in being responsive to the mission priorities of the church as well as the needs of pastors.
“If you are a teaching elder taking a risk or starting a new worshiping community,” said Bryan, “we are here for you.”
And Vaughn is one such teaching elder who is not only grateful for support from the PC(USA), but also eager to spread the word about TLDA.
“I am in the process of resubmitting my materials for my next financial aid award, and just wanted to make other people aware of how easy this process is,” she said. “Our denomination really does want to help reduce our financial debt so we are better able to serve our communities. I am so thankful for this resource and I hope that others will look into it as well.”
Emily Enders Odom, Communications Strategist, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Let us join in prayer for:
Presbytery Staff:
Presbytery of the Peaks Staff
Nancy Dawson, General Presbyter
Steve Earl, Associate Presbyter for Ministry
Hugh Springer, Stated Clerk
Presbytery of Western New York Staff
Rev. Laura Norris Buisch, Stated Clerk
Dale Harten, Business Administrator
Jan Tyson, Office Administrator
PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Teresa Bidart, PMA
Anne Blair, PMA
Let us pray
Almighty God, grant us eyes to see our world as you would have it. And use our hearts, our minds and our hands to bring us one step closer to that world today. Amen.
Daily Lectionary
Morning Psalms 130; 148
First Reading Joshua 9:22-10:15
Second Reading Romans 15:14-24
Gospel Reading Matthew 27:1-10
Evening Psalms 32; 139
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