as COVENANT presbyterian church Promotion and Tenure Committee Gardner-Webb University 110 South Main Street Post Office Box 997 Boiling Springs, NC 28017 Members of the Promotion and Tenure Committee, Tam writing in support of Dr. Jeffrey Hartman's application for promotion to the rank of full professor. ‘As one of the ministers on staff at Covenant Presbyterian Church, I came to know Jeff soon after my arrival four years ago, when he and his wife, Shana, inquired about joining the church and presenting their en for baptism. When I met with Jeff and Shana, I appreciated Jeff's thoughtful questions, the ways, he included his children in the conversation, and, above all, his interest in joining a church nearly an hour’s drive from their home. Jeff takes his Christian faith seriously, as he had clearly invested great thought into what he believes to be at the core of the Christian faith and significant energy into finding a church with which he could live out these values with integrity, authenticity and action. Not long after, Jeff and Shana joined the church and presented Gwen, Savannah and Elijah for baptism, and their entire family have been some of the most regular and faithful attenders of Sunday worship. Thave appreciated Jeff's willingness to invest in one of Covenant’s most entrepreneurial endeavors, that of a new worship service designed to include people for whom church has previously been foreign, unintelligible or hostile. In addition to lending his thoughtful and kind presence to the worship service, Jeff has also served faithfully as an usher and greeter, helping to set up and break down the worship space and welcoming people into it. When our recreation ministry experimented with offering a group run before worship, Jeff quickly volunteered to support the endeavor, which, again, I consider to be no small gift of service, given the distance of his home to the church. I believe Jeff and Shana invest so much of themselves into the life and ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church in part because of their vocations as professors, lifelong learners and thought leaders, Covenant is ‘a congregation that takes scripture seriously, attends to the realities of society, science and culture, and calls on its members to engage thoughtfully, compassionately, and prayerfully with difficult issues of and faith. In our newest worship service, we call on our members to contribute to a live conversation about such matters, and Jeff is a thoughtful contributor. Tam grateful for Jeff's committed, sacrificial investment in the life of the Covenant congregation, and that Gardner Webb calls on its faculty to bring the best of their Christian faith to their work as professors. | am confident that Jeff serves the Gardner-Webb community as humbly, graciously and thoughtfully as he serves our Covenant community, and so | fully support and recommend him for the rank of full professor. as UUs g Prdukt- Rev. Jestica R, Patchett Associate Minister for Christian Education 1000 East Morehead Street * Charlotte, NC 28204-2813 * 704-333-9071 * www.covenantpresby.org,