Forest Hill Church introduces new co-pastor
Forest Hill Presbyterian Church is changing to a new ministerial model. On Jan. 2, the Rev. Dr. Veronica Goines will join the Rev. Dr. John C. Lentz Jr. as the church’s new co-pastor.
The new co-pastor model reflects the church’s mission and vision [to be] a church where all of God’s children are heard, seen, exalted and equal.
After an extensive national search, the church called Goines to share equally in leading the 100-year-old congregation further along the path of restorative justice.
Since 1995, Goines had led the historic, multicultural St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Marin City, Calif. She earned a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif., in 2017; a Master of Divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS) in 1995; and a diploma in pastoral counseling from SFTS. She is also certified in basic and advanced clinical pastoral education at the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Dublin, and at Stanford University Hospital.
In addition to having experience as an associate pastor, a chaplain to incarcerated youths and adults, and a hospital chaplain, Goines has held various positions in the local, regional and national bodies of the Presbyterian Church, USA. She is affiliate faculty of SFTS, and preaches, teaches and keynotes at the local, regional and national levels of the Presbyterian Church.
Forest Hill Church awaits the arrival of this published writer, poet and avid outdoors-woman with great excitement, and looks forward to sharing her gifts with the greater community.
Dave Bell
Dave Bell was one of the co-chairs of the Forest Hill Church team that nominated the Rev. Goines as co-pastor. A solo practice environmental lawyer, he and his wife, Chris, have lived in Cleveland Heights for 40 years, and all three of their children attended CH-UH schools K-12. He is president of the Western Reserve Chorale, and a longtime member of Forest Hill Church Presbyterian.