Dear Saints of the Church,
I am married to a wonderful woman, Lynne, and we have two children, both in college. Andrew, who enjoys sports and music, has a Bachelor’s in Adult Fitness from Malone Collegein Canton, Ohio, and is working on a second bachelor’s, this one in music, at Bethel University, McKenzie, Tennessee. Heather is finishing her senior year at Waynesburg University, where she is majoring in Elementary Education/Special Ed, and is running with Varsity Cross Country. Heather enjoys reading, babysitting, and caring for pets of all kinds. Both Andrew and Heather enjoy horseback riding, having grown with the summer horse camp programs. Lynne is a homemaker active in the church and community, and is a licensed dental hygienist. She enjoys gardening and bowling. I also enjoy fitness sports, the outdoors, and following the leading of the Spirit.
Ligonier
quickly became home to us, and I am convinced this is another step on my
spiritual path. I received God’s Spirit late one evening
while at college, not unlike Wesley’s experience as he was arriving at
Aldersgate. It was at a men’s bible study years
after college when I received God’s undeniable call to the ordained ministry. I received the call on Friday, and spent
the weekend in prayer before applying to seminary on Monday. I hold a degree in Economics from WVU, a
Master of Divinity from Pittsburgh Theological, and a certificate of study from
the Jerusalem Institute of Biblical Studies, Jerusalem, Israel.
God’s path in ministry has put me in many places and with many people I would never have dreamed of, and I have seen many miracles of God’s mercy, power, and grace. Ordained in the Western Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church, this is my sixth appointment, and the fifth district of service (Butler, Erie-Meadville, Washington, Johnstown, Butler again, and now Greensburg).
In the United Methodist Church each pastor and church is called to lend their gifts to ministry beyond the local church. Beyond the local church I have served on District and Conference Committees, in the summer camps, and taught at lay schools and mission festivals, principally in the areas of missions, worship, and youth. For five years I served as our Conf. Secretary to the General Board of Global Ministries, responsible for the flow of mission information and development for our Annual Conference.
As part of my mission involvement I have been blessed
to be on twenty-one mission teams with both youth and adults, providing
Christian witness while engaging work in flood relief, habitat for humanity type
work, tours of mission centers, hurricane relief…to the following destinations: Connellsville Area Ministries; Portland,
Maine; Missions Board in N.Y.; Harlem’s UMC; Titusville, Pa.; S. Homestead, Fl.;
Jackson (Ohio) Area Ministries; Hong Kong, the People’s Republic of China;
Jamaica; and Russia. But I have also been very active in the
local communities of the churches I serve. The church is to be out in the
community. Life in Christ is too exciting to wait
for the world to come to us!
My prayer for ministry has been from inception and continues to be, “Let me be of the most help to the most people in the ministry of Jesus Christ, and to the glory of God.” To do this I give myself unconditionally to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and to all God’s people, now especially to the people of Ligonier area and the saints of Heritage. We are very much looking forward to being with you!