LEADERSHIP VOTE
SUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 2025
The life of the congregation is enriched by the many different kinds of service that members offer. This represents an expression of Paul’s great picture of the church as the body of Christ, with each member contributing to the health of the whole. (I Corinthians 12)
Congregational leadership is one important area of service in the church. Each year, members of First Presbyterian Church are called by the congregation to exercise a ministry of leadership within the church as Elders, Deacons, and Trustees. These are distinctive leadership roles, calling for particular gifts and commitment.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Bill Oliver, Chair, Session
Charlotte Milner, Vice Chair and Adult Education and Discipleship
Bobby Mickler, Session
Lynn Thompson, Session
Judy Kruger, Diaconate
Linda Delano, Women of the Church
Jim Clouse, KEYS Older Adult Ministry
Mike Meadows, FPC Student Ministry
David Peeples, At Large
SELECTION
Our collection of nominees for Elders, Deacons and Trustees is the result of a large pool of consideration. Furthermore, our selection has been based on two key attributes - a serving heart, and the talents and skills that each person brings to the First Pres family and leadership.
The following leadership positions have been selected:
ELDERS
Class of 2028: Jessica Fritz*
Class of 2027: John Bass
Class of 2026: Jodi Wood* Clayton Hudnall David Rogers Betsy Baker*
Sallie Guy
DEACONS
Class of 2028: Paige Perry* Courtney Biggs* Austin Garcia*
Class of 2027: Martha Smith Lisa Duke*
Class of 2026: Barbara Dorsey Laura Johnson*
TRUSTEE
Class of 2028: Jobe Jackson*
* Those who will be holding this office for the first time at FPC are identified with an asterisk.
ELDER IN CLASS 2028
JESSICA FRITZ*
Jessica Fritz joined First Presbyterian Church in 2014 with her husband, Lance, after growing up in the Presbyterian church in Southern California. She has enjoyed growing closer to Christ and his followers at FPC by serving as a Deacon, Modern Worship team captain and singer, among other roles.
Jessica has worked for 30 years in research and analysis across the non-profit, government, and corporate sectors. She moved to San Antonio in 2011 from the Washington, DC area and currently works for USAA in customer insights. Jessica is blessed to be a step-mom to Lance’s three adult children, all in their 20s, and a grandma to Mateo, who was born in 2024.
ELDER IN CLASS 2027
JOHN BASS
John Bass is a lifelong Presbyterian whose family attended Northwood Presbyterian Church. He graduated from Alamo Heights High School and Austin College. He was ordained as an Elder in 1987 while living in Lubbock, Texas, where he was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church. In 1995, after residing in Dallas, South Florida, and Atlanta, John and his wife Shelley returned to San Antonio with their three small children and joined First Presbyterian that summer.
Since joining, John has served as an Elder on three separate occasions, each time as a Member of the Stewardship and Finance Committee and as Church Treasurer. A longtime member of the Mighty Acts of God Sunday School class, he has attended the Connections Sunday School Class and more recently the Bridges Sunday School class.
John and Shelley have been married for over 37 years and have been blessed with four wonderful children—four grandchildren and three more grandchildren expected to arrive this summer. After a career spanning over 36 years with UnitedHealthcare, John retired and, since May 2020, has been with Marsh McLennan Agency serving as a Health and Benefit Consultant.
John is honored to serve First Presbyterian Church and his fellow Covenant Partners as a member of the Session.
ELDERS IN CLASS 2026
JODI WOOD*
Jodi Wood will serve her first term as an Elder at First Presbyterian Church, where she has been a member since 2002. Her husband, Mike Wood, is a lifelong member of FPC. Together, they have two children who were both confirmed at the church. Their son, Michael (Duke ’23), currently resides and works in Raleigh, North Carolina, while their daughter, Payton, is entering her senior year at the University of Georgia.
Jodi is actively involved in the life of the church and currently serves on the Church Plant Committee. Over the years, she has contributed to numerous areas of ministry at FPC, including serving on the Children’s Ministry Committee, teaching Vacation Bible School, and leading Confirmation classes. Additionally, she served for five years as a children’s and adult discussion leader with Bible Study Fellowship.
Jodi is honored to serve First Presbyterian Church in this new leadership role and looks forward to continuing her service as an Elder.
CLAYTON HUDNALL
Clayton and his wife, Robin, have been members of First Presbyterian Church since 1986, where they raised their children, Caroline and Clark. Over the years, Clayton has served as an Elder, Deacon, and Trustee. He has also taught Confirmation classes and participated in several committees. Clayton recently retired from a 35-year career at Urology San Antonio. Reflecting on the changes he has witnessed at First Presbyterian over the past 40 years, he believes that perseverance is crucial during these times.
ELDERS IN CLASS 2026
DAVID ROGERS
David and his wife, Deborah, became members of First Presbyterian Church in 1991. Since then, David has served in various leadership roles, including one term as a deacon in the 1990s and multiple terms as an elder. His commitment to the life and mission of the church is evident through his involvement on numerous staff and pastoral search committees and his leadership as chair of the local missions team. Most recently, he has contributed to the strategic planning committee for the Next 10 long-range plan.
Professionally, David serves as President and CEO of the H.E. Butt Foundation, where he also oversees the Laity Lodge programs. He and Deborah are proud parents of three adult children and delighted grandparents to eight grandchildren—all six and under. Together, they enjoy traveling, spending time with friends, and cherishing moments with their growing family.
BETSY BAKER*
Betsy is a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church. She was born three years after her father, Louis Zbinden, was called to be the senior pastor, and she is the youngest of her three siblings. Betsy has two children: Owen, a student at Texas Tech University, and Elizabeth, who attends the University of Texas. Professionally, she has worked for Jefferson Bank for 25 years and currently serves as Division Manager of Private Banking. In her church involvement, Betsy has served on the Children’s Ministry Committee and the Stewardship & Finance Committee; taught 6th-grade Sunday School; was a Board Member of the Mission Road Developmental Center; and was on the founding committee of The Zbinden Center for Biblical Leadership. Betsy is honored to serve the church alongside the other session members “for such a time as this.”
ELDERS IN CLASS 2026
SALLIE GUY
Sallie Guy has been a member of First Presbyterian Church for over 45 years, having been raised and confirmed there. She is married to Tom, and together they have two adult children, Logan and Maddie. As a child, Sallie sang in the FPC children’s choir, attended Vacation Bible School, and spent many summers at Mo Ranch. She feels blessed to have continued those traditions with her own family.
Sallie has served as an Elder, a Deacon, and a member of every “stage” committee from Nursery to College and Young Adults, along with other committee and ministry positions within the church and Bible study groups. She is a current member of the Bridges Sunday School Class and the Pastor’s Bible Study, and she proudly participates in the Handbell Choir. Sallie is humbled to serve again on the Session.
DEACONS IN CLASS 2028
PAIGE PERRY*
Paige Perry is a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church, where her faith journey began with her baptism in 1990 by Rev. Louis Zbinden and her confirmation in 2004. By God’s grace, she has continued to grow in her walk with Christ by serving as a Sunday school teacher, coleading a gospel community group, and actively participating in Women’s Circle 3. She finds deep joy in her vocation as a first-grade teacher at Cambridge Elementary, viewing it as a high calling to love and serve others daily. Throughout her life, the Lord has used ministries like Laity Lodge Youth Camp and Bible Study Fellowship International to shape and strengthen her faith. Paige is humbled and thankful for the opportunity to serve as a deacon in her church.
DEACONS IN CLASS 2026
COURTNEY BIGGS*
Courtney Biggs has been an active member of First Presbyterian Church San Antonio her entire life. She was baptized and confirmed into the church and has served on various committees, including global missions, the youth director search committee, and the student action leadership team (S.A.L.T.). She has also participated in numerous local and global mission trips, including multiple trips to the Dominican Republic. Her First Pres church family supported her with prayer and love during a terrible illness she experienced from 2018 to 2020. She looks forward to sharing that love with others in the church and is honored to serve in her new capacity as a deacon. Courtney loves her job as a labor and delivery nurse and also enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends.
AUSTIN GARCIA*
Austin Garcia, alongside his wife Rebecca, is a devoted Covenant Partner at First Presbyterian Church. Growing up in the church, Austin joined through confirmation in 2011, establishing a longstanding connection with the FPC community that continues today as he and Rebecca are involved in a weekly Bible Study, attend Sunday School, and most recently volunteered for VBS. Austin and Rebecca were married in 2022, moved from Dallas to San Antonio in the Spring of 2024 and are the proud parents to their son, Sebastian, eagerly raising him in the nurturing environment of FPC.
Austin graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture. Since then, he has held significant positions, including serving as an Architectural Designer in Dallas and most recently co-founding and serving as Vice President and Design Director at Mouldbreaker Interactive. Austin is honored to be nominated as a deacon and looks forward to serving the church, sharing his commitment to Christ, and contributing to the life of the FPC family.
DEACONS IN CLASS 2027
MARTHA SMITH
Martha Smith has been a member of First Presbyterian Church since 1976 and has sat in the same pew ever since! She has served on various committees, including Nursery, Children’s Ministry, and College Ministry, and co-chaired Vacation Bible School with Melinda Biggs. She is a member of Circle 20 and has recently started participating in the Literature Circle. Martha and her husband, Gordon, have many happy memories of teaching Sunday School and helping with Wee Worship. They have two grown children, Helen and Graham, who were both baptized and confirmed at FPC. Martha teaches Freshman Composition at UTSA.
LISA DUKE*
Lisa Duke is a covenant partner at First Presbyterian Church. She is a member of Circle 3 and participates in Sunday School as well as the Pastor’s Bible Study. Lisa grew up in San Antonio and attended Alamo Heights from kindergarten through her high school graduation. She pursued higher education at Wesleyan University in Connecticut and the University of Texas Law School, and she currently practices law in San Antonio. Over the last several years, Lisa has appreciated getting to know others attending the church and has thoroughly enjoyed experiencing and loving God through worship, learning, and fellowship at FPC. She is honored to be invited to serve the church as a deacon this year.
DEACONS IN CLASS 2026
BARBARA DORSEY
Barbara Dorsey is a lifelong Presbyterian who joined First Presbyterian Church in 2004 and is retired from a career in Civil Service, spent primarily at the Defense Language Institute English Language Center and the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine. During her time at FPC, her faith has grown, and she has formed deep friendships with faithful Christians. The Tuesday morning Ladies’ Bible Study, her terms as an officer in Women of the Church, and her previous time as a deacon have been especially rewarding. She is very much looking forward to serving as a deacon again.
LAURA JOHNSON*
Laura McAllister Johnson was born in Paisley, Scotland. In 1977, after completing her education in banking, she moved to the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong. Within six months, she and a partner started a small design studio, which over the next 14 years grew into the largest independent fully accredited advertising agency in Hong Kong.
During her time in Hong Kong, Laura also opened a chain of British pubs and co-founded King & Country, the world’s leader in the production of military miniatures. She became highly involved in local charities supporting animals, children, the elderly, and war veterans.
In 1994, Laura met her future husband, Belton Kleberg Johnson, and they married in Hong Kong in 1996. Unfortunately, this happy epoch in her life did not last; her beloved husband became ill and passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2001.
In 2002, Laura was blessed with the arrival of a beautiful baby boy, her chosen son Jamie. One year later, she was again blessed with the arrival of her precious baby daughter, Honor. Jamie is now 23 years old, and Honor is 22.
Aside from raising her family, Laura remains involved in King & Country. She has been a member of First Presbyterian Church since 1995 and has served on the board of Mission Road Ministries and the Board of Operation Comfort.
TRUSTEE IN CLASS 2028
JOBE JACKSON*
Jobe Jackson and his wife, Ashley, are lifelong covenant partners at First Presbyterian Church and were married there in 2016. They have two sons, J.W. (Jobe Warren) and Pearce, and they are eager to raise their children in the FPC community. Jobe has previously served on the Session and as the Moderator of the Diaconate, and he and Ashley have taught Confirmation together since 2014. Jobe looks forward to serving on the Session again, continuing to share his love for Christ and being a part of this special church family.
