Rev. Dr. Rachel Matthews is a co-pastor at Waldensian Presbyterian Church with her husband Matt Matthews. She values creating space where people can heal, learn and grow toward greater wholeness in relation to Self, Others and God.
Rachel is a lifelong Presbyterian graduating with a B.A. from Austin College in Sherman, Texas, an M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA and an M.A. in Christian Education from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond. She has a D.Min. from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. Since 1989 when she was ordained as a PC(USA) pastor, she has served churches in Arkansas Presbytery, Presbytery of Eastern Virginia, Foothills Presbytery in South Carolina, and Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois before coming to the Presbytery of Western Carolina. During these ministry years, she has also managed a career as a pastoral counselor from which she is now retired.
She and Matt have three grown sons, and two cats, and love spending time with them. When not working Rachel enjoys long walks, digging in the dirt, watching flowers grow, curling up with an exciting mystery or going to the movies with her husband.
Matt Matthews and his wife have three grown sons and two cats. He is author of Mercy Creek, winner of the South Carolina Arts Commission First Novel Prize, Hub City Press/2011, One Thousand Miles: Following My Father's WWII Footsteps (Avenida Press/2017), two plays, a children’s book, professional articles, over one hundred songs, columns for local newspapers, and, as a Presbyterian Church USA pastor, too many sermons to count. He was born in Hampton, Virginia, on the Chesapeake Bay and now lives in Valdese, NC, where he serves with his wife as co-pastor of Waldensian Presbyterian Church.
He doesn’t twitter and will never bungee jump.
Reach Rachel or Matt:
(828) 874-2531 - ext 2rachel@waldpres.org
matt@waldpres.org
