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New Chapter in Life

Christi and Jeff Boyd

Spring 2025
Jeff and Christi Boyd
Christi and Jeff Boyd

Greeting friends and supporters of our service to God’s mission through the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.

Many of you have reached out to us asking how we are affected by the reorganization happening as part of the unification of what was once the Office of the General Assembly of the PC(USA) (OGA) and the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA). We are very grateful for your prayers and expressions of concern for the impact of the changes on our global partners and our mission service more personally.

As you may have understood from various news articles, such as the ones noted at the bottom of this letter, what used to be Presbyterian World Mission concluded on March 24, with all mission co-workers and other World Mission staff positions concluding. That does not mean global engagement will end for the denomination. But it will be restructured and made leaner in order to be financially sustainable moving forward. International Ecumenical Liaisons, initially selected from among the currently serving mission co-workers, will be appointed to help guide PC(USA)’s global engagement and to resource presbyteries, congregations, and mission networks as you engage with our global partners.

It pains us to let you know that this process has led to our early retirement after 35 years of mission service in Africa. When we met in Pakistan 38 years ago, we sensed a calling to serve the church together. We agreed that if God entrusted us with children, ensuring their well-being would also be our shared mission. At critical junctions during our mission service, we have discerned each of these commitments. Our family, including our three children, has been grateful for the opportunity we have had to serve with the PC(USA) since 1990. As we understand that our service together as a couple does not fit with the new plans of the Interim Unified Agency of the PC(USA), we embrace the joy of new life within the family God has blessed us with. On Friday, March 21, we became grandparents. Our son and daughter-in-law gave birth to their precious and beautiful daughter, Maddy.

We are deeply grateful for the privilege of having been invited to work alongside global partners and the communities they serve. As we move to the next chapter in our lives, we carry in our hearts and minds a treasure of memories from our many visits, conversations and experiences with church partners in Africa, and with PC(USA) churches, members and friends who kindly hosted us and allowed us to share how we witnessed God at work through ministries run by our church partners.

We appreciate the various ways you have been coming alongside our mission service with PC(USA)’s global partners. Support of the Church’s global engagement remains important. As the Presbyterian Church (USA) discerns this new path forward, we encourage you to remain connected and engaged. Please keep an eye open for any relevant articles from the Presbyterian News service, starting with those that have already been published.

As March 24 was our last day of service, we will no longer be able to communicate via our pcusa.org work e-mail addresses. Our personal addresses remain the same: pc.boyd.vanoverbeeke@gmail.com (Christi) and jcmsnboyd@gmail.com (Jeff).

Wherever God leads us in our next steps, we stay connected in God’s greater Mission.

May the peace of Christ be with you!

Christi and Jeff Boyd