About the Reverend Dr. Scott M. Kenefake

Scott is a Kansas City native (Overland Park) and has been an ordained Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church USA for more than 35 years. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas (B.A., Government/History), Washburn University School of Law (J.D., Public Interest), San Francisco Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (D. Min.). 

He has served as an installed pastor in several congregations around the country (Rome, Georgia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Albany, New York; and Appleton, Wisconsin), as an exchange pastor in Ayr, Scotland, as a Hospital/Hospice Chaplain (Topeka, Kansas), and, for nearly 20 years, as an Interim/Transitional Head of Staff (New York, New York; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Bloomington, Indiana).

He and his wife, Gail, have been married for 40 years. Gail is a graduate of the University of Virginia and is an experienced professional trainer and IT analyst specializing in higher education. Scott and Gail have two adult children: Mary Elizabeth, who lives in London, and William and his wife Anna, and their two children Jacqueline and Caroline, who live in Kansas City, Missouri. Scott enjoys reading, listening to NPR, watching PBS, playing tennis, trying new restaurants, travel, all genres of music and the arts, and walking his dogs, Bindi and Pip.

What Scott Kenefake Brings to First Presbyterian Naples

For almost 20 of his 35 years in ministry, Scott has served in Interim Senior Pastor roles. In urban and suburban churches, in larger and smaller congregations and with congregations in healthy and in crisis situations. Scott has brought a strong faith, a willingness to lead congregations forward, and great organizational savvy. 

Scott’s strong faith is clearly articulated in his written Statement of Faith, which, in part, reads: “I believe in the “essential tenets” of the Reformed faith – the Sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture, Justification by grace through faith, and the Priesthood of all believers. I believe in the loving, triune God whom Christians know as Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer (Father/Mother, Son and Holy Spirit). Our God is active and present (with us) in all of creation and invites us to participate in the work that God is continually doing; namely, loving and redeeming creation. I believe Scripture should be interpreted in its historical context and its original languages. My main hermeneutic for interpreting Scripture is the life and teaching of Jesus…And in the end, I believe that we all “die into God” and that grace is the last word, not judgment. Love wins! Thanks be to God.”

Scott delivers powerful sermons, leads worship with a culturally engaged and broadly ecumenical approach, and builds on the friendliness and hospitality of the congregations he serves. Scott brings to this interim role: exceptional communication and listening skills, the ability to develop strong relationships with people that are rooted in compassion and empathy, self-confidence, good organizational, planning and consensus building skills, and a vision for where a congregation needs to go. Depending on the interim situation, Scott has raised millions for capital campaigns, developed effective outreaching programming that raised the profile of the congregation, and helped congregations expand their membership and outreach.

Scott’s blending of vision and understanding of our history positions him well to be present in our long-range planning work, as we seek to understand clearly who we, as a congregation, are now and who we are called to be. It also equips him well to help prepare and guide us in searching for and identifying our next Senior Pastor. So that he can best help us in that discernment and preparation, and in accordance with Presbyterian guidelines, as an intentional Interim Pastor Scott will not be eligible to become our Senior Pastor, but he is committed to being with us until that person is called.

We were particularly inspired by Scott’s vision of a transitional period as one to be approached with confidence and hope – but most importantly with joy! We hope you will be too.