The Rev. Andrew Black, a deputy to the Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) General Assembly, announced his resignation on Thursday to join the office of Senator-elect Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico).

The Rev. Gradye Parsons, stated clerk of the church, said in a statement from Office of the G.A. that the Rev. Black brought "considerable faith and talents to the office of Constitutional Services at a very important time of transition for our Form of Government and Christ's Church."

The resignation is effective January 3, 2013.

The Constitutional Service department is an Office of the General Assembly concentrating on the church's new form of government and church polity, judicial process, and immigration law and policy.

Rev. Black, who accepted the position of director of constitutional services for the Office of the G.A. in August 2011, said it had been "an honor" to work with Rev. Parsons and various other offices and people in the church.

"I remain encouraged that our church can continue to discern and discover new ways to faithfully participate in God's mission and live into its calling as a community of faith, hope, love and witness," he said.

Before joining the PC (U.S.A.) in 2011, Rev. Black worked as a field representative for U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico) covering issues of health, education, poverty and veterans.

He was ordained as a teaching elder in 2008 by the Presbytery of Santa Fe. He will continue working closely with his presbytery and its member congregations in New Mexico.

He holds a joint Juris Doctor/Master of Divinity degree from the University of Louisville's Louis D. Brandeis School of Law and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.