Staff
Our Pastor, Rev. Dr. James W. Thornton
The Rev. Dr. James W. Thornton (Jim) began pastoral ministry in June 1979 after graduating with a Masters of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts. He had previously graduated from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, where he was a Biblical Studies major. His first two churches were north of Pittsburgh in New Castle, Pennsylvania.
There, he and his wife Barbara had two children, Jimmy and Jillian. Jim was appointed to a National Task Force to study Eco-Justice (a synthesis of ecological and justice concerns), which produced the definitive work on the subject for the church and reported to the General Assembly in Salt Lake City in 1990. That same year, Jim received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in their Reformed Focus program, writing his thesis on the Church and Eco-justice issues.
In 1991, the family moved to central Pennsylvania, where Jim pastored two churches before being called to Carmel Presbyterian Church in 2007. Jim is also a certified teacher and administrator of the MBTI personality system and the Enneagram, a personality/spirituality system. In his spare time Jim enjoys golf and tennis.
Reverend Abigail Visco Rusert, Associate Pastor
Abigail Visco Rusert first experienced God’s call by the edge of a mucky pond at Kirkwood Camp in Stroudsburg, PA. That call kept her involved in youth groups and eventually led her into youth ministry. In 2004, Abigail graduated from Valparaiso University in Indiana with degrees in music and theology. That same year, she began a degree at Princeton Theological Seminary as well as her first job as a Director of Youth at Forest Grove Church.
Through Princeton’s Field Education program, Abigail received the opportunity to live and work in Lausanne Switzerland in 05/06 as a Director of Youth at two international churches. After her return to the states, she took a job as Director of Youth at Titusville Presbyterian Church, and began to pursue an interest in ministry with Third Culture Kids- kids who grow up outside of their parents’ home culture(s). That interest was both the foundation for a thesis at Princeton Seminary as well as a project on Third Culture Kids through Princeton’s Graduate Study Fellowship for the Parish Pulpit Ministry.
As a recipient of this fellowship, Abigail spent an academic year in New Delhi, India, researching and participating in international youth ministries. She presented her research at the Families in Global Transition Conference in Houston, TX in the spring of 2009. Upon her return from India, Abigail accepted a call to be the Associate Pastor at Carmel Presbyterian Church, where she is excited to serve and grow in God’s grace! In her free time Abigail enjoys running, drinking strong coffee and going out to dinner with her husband.
Abigail Vander Hart Palmisano, Director of Music
Abigail Vander Hart Palmisano is the Director of Music at Carmel Presbyterian Church. Abigail (Abby) is the organist for all worship services, director of the church's four vocal choirs, and co-director of the handbell choir. She also oversees and has performed in the Tuesday Noon organ concert series at Carmel produced on behalf of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.
Abby received her Masters degree in church music/organ from Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill, and her undergraduate degree from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. She has also studied harpsichord at the University of Michigan. She enjoys attending continuing education seminars at Westminster Choir College, Princeton, NJ.
Abby resides in Dresher with her husband David and is the proud mother of two sons. She was raised in Sioux Center, Iowa. Her musical studies began at age four from her father Gary Vander Hart. Besides playing the organ, she studied piano for twelve years, cello for ten years and harpsichord for two years. In her spare time, Abby is an avid enthusiast of Track and Cross Country running events, and personally enjoys walking with friends.
Pat Morris
Pat was born and raised in Bristol, PA, attended the Presbyterian Church at Bristol where she met her husband, Gene. They were married in 1962 and lived for almost a year in Norfolk, Virginia where Gene was a member of the Navy Band.
They settled in Glenside In October of 1963 and have lived in the area the rest of our married lives. They have two daughters, Beth and Kelly and are the proud grandparents of 9 – 3 girls and 6 boys.
Pat has worked at Carmel, beginning in 1978, for close to 31 years. She considers it a joy to work at the church where they attend, have raised their daughters and now four of their grandsons attend.
Michael Gilliam
Our custodian/sexton is Michael Gilliam. Michael has been employed here at Carmel Presbyterian Church for 2 years. Michael has been married for 16 years and has two wonderful children: a son 11 and a daughter 2. Michael’s daughter, Christina, attends Carmel’s Nursery School program. Michael says the he “enjoys his job very much.”
