Veteran Office of the General Assembly (OGA) staffer Loyda Puig Aja has announced her resignation as director of Ecclesial Ministry and Associate Stated Clerk. She has served the office for almost 23 years.
“Loyda Aja has been a tireless and effective colleague,” said the Reverend Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). “She has demonstrated her commitment to the Gospel in every task and relationship. We will miss her greatly and pray every blessing on her future ministry.”
Aja is departing to join her husband, the Reverend Dr. Tony Aja, in his new call as pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her resignation is effective January 2, 2015.
“When I accepted the call to serve the Office of the General Assembly, I discovered a huge abundance of talented and committed people who helped me to navigate the complexities of the office. Few persons get the opportunity to work with two very able Stated Clerks and many elected members, and I have been one of them,” Aja said.
“I leave with a heart full of gratitude for the opportunity to work in this capacity. Even though I will miss my colleagues and friends, I am looking forward to starting this new phase in my life. God has been extremely good to me and my family.”
Among Aja’s many duties in her role within OGA was to staff the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly, which has oversight for OGA and the General Assembly. She also managed the office’s human resources operation, provided support to the Stated Clerk, and supported many of the PC(USA)’s Latino constituents.
Prior to joining OGA, Aja worked in the former Worldwide Ministries Division of the General Assembly Council (now World Ministries, Presbyterian Mission Agency). She is a ruling elder in the PC(USA) and a graduate of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.