What ordaining elders like TJ Martin means for Presbyterians

Elders lay their hands on TJ Martin as he is ordained into the presbyterate. Photo: Gerald Farinas.

April 13, 2025 marks a joyful and solemn moment in the life of Edgewater Presbyterian Church as we ordained TJ Martin to the ordered ministry of ruling elder.

With gratitude to God, we welcomed him into the lifetime calling of the presbyterate—a sacred trust that is not simply functional, but formational.

TJ joins a long and unbroken tradition of those set apart for the care, guidance, and spiritual discernment of the Edgewater Kirk and the larger Christian Church.

The act of ordination was marked by the laying on of hands—performed by currently and formerly serving presbyters.

This was done for Rev. Kristin Hutson, or any pastor of the Presbyterian Church (USA) when they were ordained to the ordered ministry of teaching elder.

This gesture is far more than symbolic; it signifies continuity and communion across the ages.

We participate in a living succession that stretches back through the Reformation, through the early church fathers, to the very first elders—the Apostles themselves.

In this act, we are reminded that ordination is not a private commissioning, but a joining to the catholic church, apostolic and holy.

This understanding is echoed in the Nicene Creed, when we confess: “We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.”

These words express our conviction that the Church is not an invention of any one culture, generation, or denomination.

It is one—unified in Christ; holy—set apart by the Spirit; catholic—universal across time and place; and apostolic—rooted in the teaching and authority of the Apostles.

When we ordain a ruling elder, we affirm that this local act is also a cosmic one, woven into the very fabric of God’s redemptive work in the world.

As TJ begins his service, we pray for his wisdom, humility, and courage.

May he shepherd well, listen deeply, and lead with the heart of Christ.

And may we, the people of God, support and honor him in his calling, as together we continue to live as one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

We also pray for his spouse, Christina (Chris) Radmacher—whom I believe is being called to their own ministry and leadership, too, in the Edgewater Kirk.

TJ is from Alabama and comes to us with a unique spiritual journey that took him through different Christian traditions. He is an assistant dean and adjunct faculty at National Louis University; he also teaches at Saint Xavier University, Concordia, Grand Canyon, and the City Colleges of Chicago. TJ also loves music—he is a percussionist.