Houston pastor is first candidate for General Assembly moderator
The Layman Online, August 25, 2003
The Rev. David McKechnie, pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Houston, has become the first candidate to enter the contest for moderator of the 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Rev. David McKechnieIf elected, McKechnie would become the first Presbyterian moderator to serve a two-year term. Beginning in 2004, General Assemblies will meet every other year instead of annually.
The Presbytery of New Covenant unanimously voted on Saturday to endorse McKechnie’s candidacy. He has been pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church, a growing Confessing Church congregation, since 1981. At the end of 2002, the congregation had 4,310 members, with an average worship attendance of 1,515 and a Christian education enrollment of 2,958.
Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, McKechnie was naturalized as a citizen of the United States of America in the fall of 1972. He received a B.A. degree in philosophy from Nyack College in New York and pursued post-graduate studies at New College at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Upon returning to the United States, he completed his divinity degree in an ecumenical program at New York Theological Seminary, Union Seminary and General Theological Seminary, all in New York City.
He also obtained a post-graduate degree in psychology and counseling at Princeton Theological Seminary. Montreat-Anderson College in North Carolina gave him an honorary doctor of divinity degree.
After serving Presbyterian congregations in New York, Oklahoma and Texas, he became the pastor of Grace, which is recognized as one of the five fastest-growing churches in the PCUSA.
David has also served as a trustee for The Texas Presbyterian Foundation, The Outreach Foundation, The Westheimer Clergy Association, The Medical Benevolence Foundation, Mo-Ranch, Austin College, Schreiner College and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
His wife, Linda Marsh McKechnie, is an arranger, composer and recording artist (www.lindamckechnie.com). They have two children: The Rev. Peter McKechnie, a graduate of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth and Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga., and currently an associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Orlando; and Sheri, a graduate of Houston Baptist University in Houston, who lives in Charlotte, N.C., with her husband and infant son.