It’s my privilege to serve as Care and Connections Pastor at Saint Paul’s Church.  I’m sold on our church’s vision to out-love the world and work hard to make Saint Paul’s Church a place where Jesus is hard to miss and easy to meet!  My first responsibility as a pastor is to devote myself to following Christ and passing on to others his invite to show and tell about Jesus, too.  All of us are to be disciples who make disciples.   Elizabethtown and its surrounding towns are places that people tend to remain for a lifetime – which means we have the privilege of walking through all the twists and turns of life’s journey with many.  Care ministry involves accompanying, supporting and assisting through the green pastures, the still waters, the paths of righteousness as well as the valley of the shadow of death of our lives.  Building a community to care for our community is my privilege to lead, encourage and foster.  Building connections enable us to grow together in depth of maturity and thoroughness of care and concern for each other. 

I’m a recovering introvert.   I was often asked to lead singing or teach a class.  It was then assumed I was comfortable making small talk and generally being friendly.  It just wasn’t the case.  My pastor’s wife said to me once and I was a little shocked at her insight into my personality, “You’re like my husband.  You’re a natural introvert who forced himself to be out-going.”  Having known the discomfort of being shy around others, I’ve developed a real joy in making others feel comfortable who might be new to our church or to our area or who otherwise take a while to warm up to social interaction. 

I’m from Brooklyn, New York originally and met my wife, Julie, in Caldwell, New Jersey while serving in a church a mile from her home church.  Although both kids were born at Morristown Hospital in New Jersey, they grew up in Doylestown, PA before arriving in Mount Joy.  As a teenager I taught in my Roman Catholic parish, and then after college I taught interdenominational clubs with the College Ministry Inter-varsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF), then was associate pastor at West Essex Baptist Church in Roseland, New Jersey, before pastoring at Doylestown Presbyterian Church and then Saint Paul’s Church, both in Pennsylvania.  The common denominator throughout this denominational journey was a mission-mindset that was grounded on the shared theological foundation of the Apostle’s Creed and the Bible.  Each of these churches across the denominational spectrum gave me the freedom to pursue and teach the biblical gospel. 

Marrying Julie was like marrying into the Von Trapp family, a home full of accomplished musicians.  My children, Caleb and Eden, both benefitted from their musical genes and from the arts-friendly environment of Lancaster County with its wealth of musical and theatre resources and conservatories.  Caleb’s special educational needs led us to the Janus School which has revolutionized his life and potential, and Eden has thrived in the Manheim Central environment.  We are blessed to be part of Saint Paul’s.