David Meerse, Interim General Presbyter for Presbytery of Missouri Union
ELDER DAVID E. MEERSE to assume leadership in Missouri Union Presbytery November 1, 2007. David will be here for our next presbytery meeting at First Presbyterian-Columbia on Friday, November 2, 2007.
A native of Ogallala, Nebraska, a graduate of Doane College at Crete, Nebraska, and of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, David E. Meerse was ordained a Presbyterian elder in 1968. While teaching United States history at the State University College in Fredonia, New York, and chairing the history department, he was active as a volunteer in the Presbytery of Western New York. There he served on the Budget & Finance Committee, as Moderator of the Presbytery, and as Synod Commissioner and General Assembly commissioner to the reunion General Assembly in 1983.
After 20 years of college teaching, he answered God’s call to full-time church service. In 1986 he was elected Stated clerk of New York City Presbytery, the first elder to ever serve that Presbytery in that capacity. While in New York City, he served on the Permanent Judicial Commission of the synod of the Northeast, and on the Advisory Committee on the Constitution of the General Assembly.
In 1997, he began his career in interim executive service. He has served as an interim Pastoral/General/Executive Presbyter in 3 presbyteries (Lake Erie, Muskingum Valley, and John Calvin). He has also served as Interim Manager of Judicial Process in the General Assembly’s Office of the Stated Clerk, and as co-Stated Clerk of the Synod of the Trinity.
About himself, David says: “From my first marriage, I have two wonderful (grown) children. My daughter, Katherine, works for the Hennepin county (St. Paul, Minnesota) government, heading a program to reduce teen pregnancy. Her husband is a college professor. My son, John, teaches high school mathematics in Portland, Maine, where his wife is a lawyer. Music is very important in my life, as indicated by my singing in church choirs since my high school days. I enjoy all forms of classical music–live performances, recordings, and radio productions. I remain an active scholar in my research interest, the politics of pre-Civil War America, and maintain my membership in a number of professional historical associations. When I can find the time for it, I enjoy cross-country skiing. I follow a regular exercise routine. I read for relaxation & listen to audio books while driving. I watch old movies (especially from the 1930's and 1940's), and a number of mystery programs on PBS, A&E, etc. I have recently acquired (or been acquired by) two mixed Siamese felines, who bring pleasure and relaxation to my life.??? (From October 2007 MUP Newsletter)