Reverend Mark Hester is in his 9th year serving as the Pastor of Loudon Cumberland Presbyterian Church in the Presbytery of East Tennessee. He had a long career as a bi-vocational minister serving often as an Interim, Stated Supply and Pulpit Supply. Before his retirement from full-time secular work in 2021, he was a Registered Investment Advisor and Certified as a Financial Planner. In his 43 years in the financial world, he managed wealth for clients in 27 states and specialized in taking care of ministers and their families. Mark studied Communications at the University of Tennessee, Religion and Arts at Lambuth University (University of Memphis), Finance and Estate planning from Michigan State University and The American College and Theology from Southern Seminary and Memphis Theological Seminary. He is a Program of Alternate Studies graduate and beginning a final year in a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Therapy program from Memphis Theological Seminary. He is the Chair of his Presbytery’s Committee on the Ministry – Clergy Care and has served on various boards and agencies at all judicatory levels. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees at Bethel University. He has been an Instructor for Program of Alternate Studies and Memphis Theological Seminary in minister’s finance. Mark is at least a 4th generation Cumberland Presbyterian and a Cumberland Presbyterian “preacher’s kid”. He is a native Tennessean and he and his wife live happily ever after in Farragut, Tennessee.

Mark is working on a doctoral research project on clergy care for Cumberland Presbyterian ministers. The purpose is to better serve ministers involving self-care and continuing education. If you are Cumberland Presbyterian minister, click the link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7T3RTYF. The survey is point and click and takes approximately five minutes.

Music is provided by Pierce Murphy, Caldera Blue.
Source: https://www.freemusicarchive.org/music/Pierce_Murphy/through-the-olive-branches/caldera-blue
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Additional comments: modifications made to shorten and loop song for introduction and closing of podcast.
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