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The Rev. Deborah Fortel is a Presbyterian minister who serves as an intentional interim. She lives in Louisville, KY.

Member of:

Presbyterian Church (USA)

Representative of:

Presbyterian Church (USA)

The Rev. Deborah Fortel is a Presbyterian minister who serves as an intentional interim. She lives in Louisville, KY. She most recently was pastor of St. John United Presbyterian Church, New Albany, IN.

Fortel's ministry for the past 25 years has included interim ministry in six congregations, directorship of an urban social service agency, and 11 years as pastor and head of staff of an inner ring suburban congregation. She has served churches in Missouri, Minnesota, Indiana, and Kentucky. She had also been associate for ministry support in the Ministries of Leadership and Vocation department of the National Ministries Division of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Louisville.

Her husband, David Sawyer, is Associate Executive for Ministry in the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy (a Presbyterian regional judicatory in St. Louis and southeastern Missouri).

They live in Louisville with their tuxedo cat Ambrose and their wheaten terrier Finian. Their four children live in Chicago, Kansas City and Raleigh. They like to do wilderness hiking and canoeing, love jazz and classical concerts, and enjoy watching the Louisville River-bats AAA Baseball team. They also spend time together and separately in meditative prayer time and retreats.

Latest Content by The Rev. Deborah Fortel

Time to Get Ready

Mark 1:1-8

December 05, 1999

The Rev. Deborah Fortel (PCUSA)

The Gospel according to Mark gives us no adoring cherubs, no sweet little Jesus boy, not even a manger. In fact, Mark writes not one word about the birth of Jesus. He begins with a reference back to the prophetic writings of the Hebrew scriptures in words which draw from Isaiah and from Malachi. Both those references are pointing toward the day of the Lord, a time when God will be fully present with God's people. Mark's early readers probably would have known the rest of the context. In Malachi it is an ominous announcement, for it is followed by a comparison of the coming of the Lord to a refiner's fire in which no one can stand. In Isaiah it is followed by the promise that every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain and hill be made low. As always, the Gospel comes with the reminder that it is God's word and therefore it is both comfort for us in our need and demand on us in our settled comfort.

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If Only We Had Known

Matthew 25:31-46

November 21, 1999

The Rev. Deborah Fortel (PCUSA)

Today's scripture reading is the last of a series of parables about the time when time comes to an end, when God's full glory is revealed and human life is seen and understood for what it was and what it was not. In this last teaching of Jesus to his disciples, we find a parable that portrays a time of judgment when all the people whoever were are gathered in front of the throne of the risen Christ.

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Other Recent Content by The Rev. Deborah Fortel

October 31, 1999

Masqueraders Anonymous

The Rev. Deborah Fortel (PCUSA)