North Alabama Calls
Warner Durnell As Executive Presbyter

On July 15, the Rev. Warner Durnell was examined by the Presbytery of North Alabama Presbytery and all questions were answered to unanimous satisfaction, echoing the response to the report from the Executive Presbyter search committee, presented by chairperson Mamie Jones. “In checking his references, everyone said we couldn’t do better,” Mrs. Jones reported. She added that everyone on the committee gave a rating of 10 to the same candidate: Warner Durnell.

Before the presbytery began its business meeting, a worship service was held, with Warner Durnell preaching on “Living Sacramentally.” The Rev. John Herndon, pastor of Fellowship Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, host for the meeting, was liturgist and the Fellowship Presbyterian choir offered outstanding choral music.

Warner Durnell is currently serving as Moderator of Middle Tennessee Presbytery and pastor of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Nashville. Before going to St. Andrews, he was Associate Executive for the Synod of Living Waters.

A native of West Chester, Pennsylvania, Warner received a B.A. degree from Lincoln University and a Master of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary. Before coming to Nashville, he served as pastor of Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church in Tuscaloosa, AL and as college chaplain and instructor at Stillman College. His first pastorate was at the Dellabrook Church in Winston-Salem, NC.

Warner and his wife Sandy have three children: Clarisse, who is a DCE in Dover, Delaware; Jonathan, a student at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga; and Erica, who will be a high school freshman this fall.

The new executive presbyter begins his duties in North Alabama on August 1.