Recently, the Rev. Mark Harper sat down for an interview on the occasion of his installation as Pastor of Takoma Park Presbyterian Church on May 1st.

Q. What does your May 1st installation as pastor mean to you?

A. To me, my installation as pastor for Takoma Park Presbyterian Church is a public commitment of servant leadership and accountability to the community that has called me. This community includes the congregation of TPPC but also National Capital Presbytery. And, really, all of our neighbors that we serve together in Jesus’ name. Since it’s a worship service, it’s a time of thanksgiving to God and an acknowledgment of God’s grace and guidance – very much like a baptism or wedding or any other form of covenant-making.

Q. What gives you meaning as a minister?

A. Finding where my story intersects with people I am working with…discovering common ground. I also love learning the uniqueness of a place. I am a child of the church, a preacher’s kid and for a long time I felt “I love it but I probably don’t want to work there.” God kept nudging me. I’m an introvert, a lot of pastors are. But what I do enjoy is connecting with people, especially with people with diverse histories.

Q. Why TPPC?

A. How could I not? Once I began reading about it, I realized there are people here who understand what change is needed to make this world a more joyous and just place.

Q. What would you tell people about TPPC?

A. There is a place for you here. There is room for you here, no matter who you are, what you look like, or what your orientation is — together we can figure out our story together. This is not an exclusive club. It is a safe space to renew your spirits and enjoy a place of sacred beauty. There is so much joy – in our music, our prayer, and our work together.

Q. What unites the diverse activities of TPPC?

A. Our desire to follow Jesus... a deep commitment to loving our neighbors, the whole community, and the whole planet. A commitment to becoming a little more like Jesus.

Q. How can we best serve the words of our mission/vision statements?

A. First, I want to note that these statements are incredibly thoughtful and prayerful and they reflect God’s compassionate spirit in this particular place. We are listening to God’s guidance to see what we should be doing right here, in this place, and in this country.

I like the metaphor one of our members Scott Ward uses, comparing TPPC to a kind of coral reef, providing shelter and nurture to a community of diverse species. But that a coral reef can also be a signal, a marker, which can tell/show signs of something amiss. This church speaks truth to power at the local, state, and national levels about what needs to change.