The Presbytery of Seattle, which includes several Presbyterian churches in the Maple Valley and Covington areas, has a new leader.

The organization recently chose the Rev. Scott Lumsden as Executive Presbyter, effective May 1. Lumsden succeeds the Rev. Jerry Poole, who filled the role on an interim basis since September 2006.

Maple Valley Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian Church of Kent and Black Diamond Presbyterian Church are part of the Seattle Presbytery.

The organization spans King County and Kitsap County and has more than 21,250 members in 55 churches.

“I’m excited about the willingness the Presbytery has expressed to rethink in fundamental ways what the mission of Christ looks like in the 21st century, especially here in the Northwest.,” said Lumsden.

In explaining Lumsden’s selection, Joyce Emery, transitional executive for the Synod of Alaska-Northwest, said he “has the ability to really listen to a person or a group of people and articulate back what he is hearing. He has an uncanny way of reframing the whole situation that takes us all to a grace-filled place with new God-given possibilities. I like that.”

Lumsden graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1998. He has served in several churches, most recently at Cottage Lake in the North Puget Sound Presbytery.