Presbyterian Association of Musicians director leaves for a new opportunity
Kelly Abraham, PAM executive director for nine years, will be the new president of the Texas Presbyterian Foundation
LEXINGTON, Kentucky — Kelly Abraham got to end her tenure as executive director of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM) with a rare home game.
During her nine-year tenure, the job has taken Abraham all over the United States to present events and spread the word of the organization that supports a variety of people who bring music and other art forms to worship, most notably through its annual June Worship & Music Conference at Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, North Carolina.
Calendars conspired to make Abraham’s last event as executive director at her home church of First Presbyterian in Lexington, Kentucky, for the PAM Mid-South Region Festival of Choirs. As the event-ending concert drew to a close, guest conductor Dr. Everett McCorvey gave a shout of recognition to the woman who has guided the association for nearly a decade.
Standing in the balcony of the church’s 155-year-old sanctuary, Abraham clasped her hands together to her heart as the choir began its final song, “Now Thank We All Our God,” arranged by First Presbyterian Director of Music and Arts Ministries Paul John Robinson.
“I’m super proud of First Pres Lexington, but I’m also proud of the Presbyterian Association of Musicians,” Abraham said in an interview shortly before the concert. “I am so excited for this organization, where we’re going, where we’ve been, and the work that’s being done to support the denomination.”
Abraham is departing PAM to become the new president of the Texas Presbyterian Foundation (TPF). She will be the first female president of the 101-year-old foundation.
“The core of what I’ve done in my entire career is mission-based,” Abraham said. “What interested me at TPF was that it is still mission-based — we’re serving the church, we are serving the leaders, and we’re working to help churches be the best they can be. In a very big way, TPF helps PAM, and I’ve seen the good work that TPF has done for PAM that has allowed PAM to dream in different ways. To now be able to be on that team that helps bring that to other churches, to other nonprofits, to me is very exciting.
“This is to me sort of a culmination of all I’ve done through my entire career, being able to bring that to TPF and to continue to serve the larger church.”
Abraham’s last day with PAM is Oct. 9, and she begins her tenure at TPF Nov. 16, meaning she was in the throes of wrapping up her work for the association and moving to Irving, Texas, where the foundation is based, as she helped bring the Festival of Choirs to Lexington. It was also a time to reflect on her time as PAM’s director.
“The board, the staff and I have worked really hard over these last seven years to think about why we exist and why we exist for the denomination and what it is we are charged to do to support this denomination and its worship leaders,” Abraham said. “We’re on a great trajectory to continue doing really good work to support the church.”
Abraham said she was particularly proud of shoring up PAM’s finances, shifts to the annual conference, developing programs to serve beyond the conference, and launching the PAM podcast, “Sounding Board.”
“The podcast is expanding our reach and really bringing in young leaders,” Abraham said. “Credit to the organization for a board who believed in me. I came in with some pretty, I won't say crazy ideas, but some pretty strong recommendations, and they were wonderfully supportive the entire way.”
Abraham also said she hopes the foundation’s strong relationship with PAM will allow her to stay involved with the association.
“I’ll keep my membership current, my donations consistent, and hopefully I’ll be asked to serve again in some capacity,” Abraham said. “I hope to not go too far because this organization is too important to the denomination to step away.”
In a letter, PAM Board Chair Emily M. Floyd said the board has approved a plan for the interim period, and PAM Event Coordinator Lisa Myers will serve as the interim executive director.
“Kelly has served PAM with distinction for nine years,” Myers wrote. “We are confident that PAM is well positioned to attract a gifted and faithful new leader.”
See and hear more
Kelly Abraham appeared on ‘Sounding Board’ to reflect on her time with PAM
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