An Introduction to Our New Head of Staff

Woods Church has called as its next Head of Staff, the Reverend JC Austin, who will take up his position on August 27, 2024. JC’s call was approved by the congregation following a candidating sermon on June 16, 2024, and we look forward to his move to Maryland and his leadership at Woods.

JC is a lifelong Presbyterian, and comes to us with an impressive array of experience. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1998, and at the conclusion of his studies, was awarded the Graduate Study Fellowship in Parish Pulpit Ministry, which allowed him to select a location to pursue further education. JC elected to study in Cape Town, South Africa, studying the work of the theological dimensions of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in post-apartheid South Africa.

JC currently serves as Head of Staff at First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He arrived at First Presbyterian in 2017 following a schism in that congregation, and guided the church through a difficult transition, rebuilding the governance and staff of the church and helping the congregation to articulate its mission statement and priorities. Subsequently, First Presbyterian was able to triple worship attendance and institute a revitalized contemporary worship service in addition to its traditional service.

Prior to his call to First Presbyterian, JC served as Vice President for Christian Leadership Formation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City. He conceived, developed, and launched the first seminary based, internationally certified training program for leadership coaches in the U.S., and created targeted leadership programs to train and support entrepreneurial pastors and women pastors.

For 10 years before his call to Auburn, JC served at Madison Avenue Presbyterian in New York City, working one year as a Pastoral Assistant for Development, Stewardship, and Evangelism, then nine years as Associate Pastor for Evangelism and Stewardship. In that role, he oversaw a demographic shift that brought in many younger members to the congregation and doubled annual giving participation and stewardship levels.

JC’s hobbies include barbecuing (he began experimenting with smoked meat during the pandemic), guitar, and many genres of music. His son will be a sophomore at Georgetown in the fall, and JC looks forward to being a bit closer to the university.