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Pastoral Care at UKV is an opportunity embraced
by all members.
The Board and members of UKV are actively involved in prayer for members,
attenders, friends and family in our greater community, as well as in various
ministry's of encouragement and visiting.
You can request prayer or a visit by calling our
office, 744-7300, or by
attending a Sunday Service and
placing your prayer concern in
our YES Prayer Box
Please join us in praying for
our current concerns:
UKV
Prayer List
Pastoral Care and Life
Coaching
If you would like to meet with
Rev. Sky Kershner, Pastoral
Leader of UKV,
please contact him by phone at
304-346-9689 x13 at his office
at the Kanawha Pastoral
Counseling Center,
or by email:
click here.
Sky works full time at the
Kanawha Pastoral Counseling
Center,
www.kpcc.com
 Photo:
Craig Cunningham
Sky Kershner
Sky Kershner,
executive director of
the Kanawha Pastoral
Counseling Center, is
taking on the additional role of pastoral leader at Unity of Kanawha Valley. In the
background of the sanctuary are Gerie Ann Selbe, president of the Board of Trustees at the church,
and Elizabeth Harter, president of the center.
Unity
group pastor does double duty
Charlotte
Ferrell Smith
Daily Mail staff
Monday July 12, 2004
The new pastoral leader of Unity of Kanawha Valley is also the executive
director of the Kanawha Pastoral Counseling Center.
Sky Kershner calls himself a pastoral leader instead of a pastor because
his additional role will include limited duties so that he can juggle an
already overflowing schedule.
"This is such a specific agreement," Kershner said. "I will do three
sermons a month, three workshops and three visits. Part of my role at
the Pastoral Counseling Center is to be an extension of the ministry of
the local church. A lot of churches cannot afford a full-time pastor."
Elizabeth Harter, president of the board for the Kanawha Pastoral
Counseling Center, said this is simply another step toward meeting the
needs of local churches. She said the center's mission statement is: "We
reach out by providing counseling, education, and consultation at an
affordable rate in the context of a spiritual understanding of life."
Kershner, an ordained United Methodist minister, will talk about "New
Beginnings" at 11 a.m. Sunday.
"Unity is oriented to topics based on Christian principles like
abundance or forgiveness," he said. "Then scriptures are drawn for the
topic. The main thing I have learned about Unity is everything is good.
No matter what happens, it is all good. I might not understand, but I
trust it is OK."
Kershner grew up in Pennsylvania in the Episcopal church. Social
principles and an emphasis on grace later drew him to the United
Methodist faith. He married Maria Leon Villalobos, a native of Costa
Rica and a Roman Catholic. Their children are David Esteben, 2 1/2, and
1-year-old Maria Celeste.
Kershner describes his faith as a matter of trust.
"I hope my faith is an aspect of trust rather than a set of cognitive
beliefs," he said. "I trust it is all good. I trust that most religious
traditions are getting people where they need to be going. If a religion
leads people to a greater compassion toward themselves and the world,
that is how I judge the goodness of a religion. Unity reminds me I can
trust."
Unity's basic teachings are:
-
God is
good and everywhere present.
-
The
spirit of God lives within each person; therefore, all people are
inherently good.
-
We create
our experiences through our way of thinking.
-
There is
power in affirmative prayer, which we believe increases our connection
to God.
-
Knowledge
of these spiritual principles is not enough. We must live them.
Unity of
Kanawha Valley has been without a pastor for about a year. During this
time, members of the congregation as well as guest speakers have
delivered messages. Kershner was among the visiting speakers.
"Sky is uplifting and very human," said Gerie Ann Selbe, president of
the board of trustees. "The board does administrative work. People also
want more spiritual content. Sky has education and wisdom. We are a
small congregation of 57 members. Having a full-time minister is a big
concern. We own the building and are debt-free. "
A part-time pastor was the answer to completing the spiritual picture.
"Services are wonderful," Kershner said. "Ron Sowell is music director.
It's like a spiritual ‘Mountain Stage.' Ron and I have worked together
on interfaith services. Unity fits my interfaith approach to things."
As executive director of the Kanawha Pastoral Counseling Center in
Charleston, Kershner oversees a staff of 12 therapists who provide
pastoral counseling to hundreds of people each year. He is also an
adjunct teacher on the Charleston campus of the West Virginia University
School of Medicine in behavioral medicine. He also works with the West
Virginia United Theological School Doctor of Ministry Program.
Kershner holds a bachelor's degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle,
Pa., and a master's of divinity from Drew University in Madison, N.J. He
has a master's degree in social work from Yeshiva University in New York
City and a doctorate in ministry from Andover Newton Theological School
in Massachusetts.
He juggles his many duties by striving for balance and setting limits on
what he can do.
"I garden a lot and have a great family," he said. "We swim every day as
a family."
He said he is excited about the opportunity of preaching again on a
regular basis.
Unity of Kanawha Valley is located at 3102 Blaine Blvd. in Charleston.
The telephone number is 744-4300. Services are 11 a.m. Sundays. Kershner
plans to speak the first three Sundays of each month. Other days will be
filled by guest speakers or members of the congregation. A potluck
dinner for Kershner and his family is set for July 18 immediately
following the morning service.
Contact writer Charlotte Ferrell Smith at 348-1246.
© Copyright 2004 Charleston Daily Mail
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