Moves and milestones
› Second Presbyterian Church: The Rev. Cathy Meyer has been installed as pastor of Chattanooga’s Second Presbyterian Church, 700 Pine St. She is the 11th pastor to be called in the church’s 150-year history.
Second Church was founded in early 1871 by 14 charter members and eight supporting members, all prominent citizens of the community, according to a church history. It was organized as a “Northern Presbyterian Church,” as many of its original members had emigrated from the North following the Civil War. The original church, dedicated in 1881, was built in the northeast corner of Chestnut and West Eighth streets.
By 1889 a larger facility was needed, and the current property at Pine and Seventh streets was purchased. The sanctuary was dedicated in 1891.
Meyer had served as interim pastor from August 2019 to February 2021, when the Presbytery of East Tennessee appointed her as permanent pastor. Her formal installation service was July 18.
Meyer is a native of New Brunswick, New Jersey, who grew up in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. Her father was president at Waynesburg College and her mother was the first woman moderator of Washington Presbytery. She was confirmed at First Presbyterian of Waynesburg and graduated from Douglass College in New Jersey.
Meyer continued her education at Pacific School of Religion, part of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. She has served congregations in Colorado, Illinois and Ohio and has served hospices as a chaplain and bereavement coordinator. She is a certified pastoral counselor.
She is married to Ken Waddell, a chaplain and supervisor of clinical pastoral education. Together they have five children and two grandchildren.