Leadership
Pastor: Reverend Stephen Mealor (Center)
Session Members: Jennifer, David, Steve, and Sarah
Church Polity: P.C. USA
"Presbyterians have a distinctive form of church government, or polity, in which the authority to make decisions is lodged not in individuals but in groups, known as councils, made up of both ministers and elected members of congregations known as ruling elders. The word “Presbyterian” comes from the Greek word for “elder.”
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The body of elders elected by a congregation to govern a congregation is called a “session.” In one sense, sessions represent the other members of the congregation — even more importantly, they seek to discover and represent the will of Christ as they govern. Presbyterian elders are both elected and ordained. Ministers of the Word and Sacrament (also known as teaching elders) are elected by the congregation and are also part of the session."
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“Representational Leadership.” PCUSA, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), n.d., pcusa.org/about-pcusa/who-we-are/representational-leadership. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025
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To learn more about the policies of the church please utilize the book of order from the PC USA
Interview with Pastor: The Reverend Stephen Mealor
What do you hope people experience when they walk through our doors?
Over a century of worship, prayer, and love have hallowed our grounds. People continue to tell me that, when they enter our sanctuary, they sense the peace that comes from being in a holy place. I know I feel it.
What role do you see the church playing in the wider community?
The role of the Church, not just Shannondale, is to live as the resurrected Christ in the world. We are to exist above the bickering, the rat race, and the zero-sum ideologies that trap out thinking. The Church does not conform to this world. Our job is simply to love and, with prayer and thanksgiving, to do good for our communities, regardless of who they might be. (Romans 12; James 1). So, in short, our role in the world is to manifest life together that is not of this world.
Do you have a favorite hymn or worship song?
Nope.
Who have been some of the biggest spiritual influences in your life?
If you know me or my family, then it should not be a surprise to hear that my wife and my parents have been some of my biggest spiritual influences. Through my parents' consistent examples and guidance, I was fortunate to develop the bedrock principles of my beliefs, including God's unwavering love. When I was still a teenager, the faith-infused compassion and courage of the woman I would eventually marry grabbed my attention and continue to challenge and inspire me.
To be sure, I am constantly disciplined and uplifted by the people around me. Not a Sunday goes by when I leave Shannondale without something to think about and remind me of God's handiwork: maybe it's the sentiment behind a prayer request someone shares with the congregation, a proposal of how we can aid someone in need, or a causal mention of how they shared a moment with a stranger. I have had countless interactions with people from past congregations and communities that likewise persist in my heart.
How do you support and encourage your congregation?
One of the perks of leading a small congregation is that every Sunday I have a chance to converse with each person. Encouragement and support, however, is not a one-man endeavor. Part of the joy of belonging to Shannondale is recognizing and applauding each others' talents.
What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I'm late to the trend, but I might be a beer snob ...for health reasons.
What Bible verse or passage has been especially meaningful to you?
For the longest time, I would tell people that I do not hold onto one particular Bible passage as a favorite. In my snarkiest moods, I've been known to say that my favorite Bible passage is the one that begins with Creation and ends with a new Heaven and new Earth.
To be honest, however, one passage has emerged over time as a personal favorite: Luke 5:17-26, the story of a paralyzed man lowered through the roof on a stretcher to be healed by Jesus. In addition to discussing Jesus's identity and his ability to forgive sins, the passage touches on positive matters like joy, faith, humility and also on the church's dangerous potential to obstruct the Gospel. This story is a good one for using imagination to place yourself in the story as one of the characters.
If you weren’t a pastor (and lawyer), what job do you think you’d be doing?
Yes, my Monday through Friday vocation is practicing employment law, and, if I didn't do that, I'd no doubt be a teacher.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not at church?
Up until this fall, I spent most of my time taking my sons to their various activities. Now that they are driving and away at school, I have rediscovered the quiet joys of reading and mowing the lawn. The best part of my day is just hanging out with my wife.
What book, besides the Bible, has impacted you recently?
My latest new book is Low Anthropology by David Zahl, which humorously unpacks the significance of seeing people and ourselves as we truly are instead of as who we think we ought to be. Zahl's book has helped me see compassion and grace in situations that might trap us into feeling failure and shame. At the same time, I've been rereading a 20th Century classic, Resident Aliens by Hauerwas & Willimon, which reminds me of the church's role in this world.