As a child, I regularly attended a small Lutheran church in Smethport, located in rural McKean County, Pennsylvania. It was there that my seed of faith was planted and began to grow. I remember even now, many years later, meeting for First Communion and Confirmation classes. Lenten Breakfast services were held weekly with members of the neighboring Episcopal and Methodist Churches. Being in a small church, in a small town, meant that class sizes for Sunday School and Confirmation were relatively small, and likewise the pool of acolytes was also small. Nonetheless, we always had at least two acolytes at a service, and sometimes as many as six on special occasions. It was a pleasure to serve in that way. Our church actually shared a Pastor with a neighboring Lutheran Church in Port Allegany, ten miles away. Because of this, some Church functions, classes, and special events were held in conjunction with our fellow congregation. These factors all provided me with an opportunity to make new friends, provide service to the Church, and ultimately grow in Christ. During this time in my life, a foundation of both service to the Church and the Community was laid which ultimately (and literally) led to where and who I am today, not only as a Lutheran, but also as a husband, father, and police officer.

My wife, Maureen, and I joined Saint John’s approximately 14 years ago, shortly after we moved from South Allentown to our home in Emmaus. I distinctly remember our very first visit to Saint John’s and Harvey McGarry introducing himself to us after the service. That first visit was only the beginning, and since then, we have formed many more friendships and become part of the Saint John’s family. It has also been a pleasure to serve the Church in some small yet rewarding ways, as a Greeter, Gift Presenter, and Reader. Since joining the congregation at Saint John’s, our own family has grown, and Maureen and I have introduced our two sons, Griffin and Austin to the Church. Much of what our boys experience now at Saint John’s is reminiscent of what I experienced at a young age at Trinity Lutheran Church in Smethport. This not only makes me proud, but also provides me with an assurance that our boys will grow up with the same values and beliefs that I grew up with, and also be of service to their Church and community as they continue in their faith.

My journey in faith began when I was baptized at the age of 8 ½ months here, at St. Johns. I followed baptism with enrollment in the Sunday school program which I continue to attend, most recently participating in Breakfast Club. Like my parents who have been lifelong Lutherans, I was confirmed in May 2017.

I try to attend church as much as possible; you can usually find my parents, younger brother Ian, & I at the 10:30 service. Whenever I am in church, I try to help in any way I can. My service to St. John’s began with acolyting. You can also find me gift presenting with my family, lighting the Advent wreath, or, my newest role is serving as a lector, which I enjoy, when I don’t mix up the order of the second reading and the psalm. I’ve also helped at the annual spaghetti supper as a server, a role which I really enjoy. Through my participation in Sunday School, I’ve been involved with/helped with planning Super Bowl of Caring, collections for the homeless, a youth game night, and preparing and serving breakfast to other Sunday School classes at the beginning of the school year, to name a few activities.

I have always considered myself a people person, and I especially enjoy working with and teaching children. I am considering a career in teaching. For several years, I’ve helped at Vacation Bible School, both with the groups during dinner fellowship and with leading games during the evening. A new venture for me will be assisting with Sunday School for grades 4-6 for the 2018-2019 school year. I’m looking forward to helping the children expand their Lutheran faith.

In January I accepted a position on church council as the church’s youth representative. I was highly honored to take this position, as it is a very humbling experience to serve alongside great people to make decisions in the church.

I am excited for what the Lord holds for me in the future! Thanks be to God!

My journey in the church began in a rural Lutheran church in Bucks County. I was baptized, confirmed and married in this church amidst my mother’s sisters and brothers and numerous cousins. Weekly attendance was mandatory for my brother and me, but I looked forward to being with family and the many friends I made in Sunday school, VBS and Luther League. I also attended Luther League with school friends at a Lutheran church in my home town of Chalfont.

Since my teenage years, I have always felt the need to help others and perhaps this is why I chose nursing as a career. I graduated from the Allentown Hospital School of Nursing in 1968 and moved to Philadelphia, where I obtained a BS in Nursing Degree from the University of Pennsylvania. The beauty of a nursing career is that there are so many areas to choose from.

In Philadelphia, I worked at Presbyterian Hospital as an obstetrics and gynecology nurse and for endocrinologists who specialized in fertility. In Allentown, I have worked at Cedarbrook and at the Raker Center at Good Shepherd. Both of these places gave me a sense of extended family,because clients did not change frequently. I retired in 2012 as a school nurse in the Parkland School District. Even in retirement, I have continued to care for family and friends during their medical crises.

My husband, Don, and I were married in 1973 and moved to Allentown. We have a daughter, Christine, who lives in Winter Park, FL, with her husband Shawn. There are no grandchildren, but we do have 4 grand dogs. Sadly, my stepson, Donnie, died suddenly last March.

As a nurse, I was required to work every other weekend during most of my career. This limited
my ability to become involved in most church activities. But when I joined St. John’s 13 years ago, I was working as a school nurse and this allowed me to become more involved. I am presently in my third year on church council and am council liaison to the Stewardship Committee. This service has introduced me to many members of the congregation and has opened doors to more areas of service in the church. I volunteer at the Food Bank on the 5 th Monday of the month. I am a communion assistant frequently at the 8 AM service and serve on the altar guild. I really enjoy being a member of Knitting for Charity, where I can share my talent of knitting for others in need. I have helped in the kitchen during VBS. During the past year, I have organized the medical equipment that St. John’s has available on loan and maintain the working order of the AED devices on the premises.

I look forward to meeting and getting to know more members of St. John’s in the future.