I felt called to become a pastor around the age of five. My United Church of Christ ministerial profile begins with these words:
“I have been breathing God’s love and the church my whole life. As a child the sacred stories of scripture, the people who grappled with those stories; their yearning for authentic community, combined with their desire to serve became the fertile garden in my inner call to serve God took root.”
I like to humor folks by saying I grew up in the “Peoples’ Republic of New Jersey.” It was there my love of community and the church took root. I was drawn to become a sociology major in college. I’ve always been fascinated with how groups, social systems, and culture impact us. During my seminary years at Andover Newton Theological School I had the opportunity to work in various churches. After graduation I’ve had rich experiences three churches and serving on the staff at two seminaries. My wife Helen and I have two children, Hannah and Cameron. Hannah is on staff at The Vista School in Hershey and works with autistic learners. Cameron is a senior at West Chester University and will graduate with a degree in music. Helen is the administrative assistant for two principals in a nearby high school.
Here’s what I’m passionate about. I love helping people connect scripture to their daily lives. I love building capacity in leaders and the church. Intergenerational worship, mission, and learning excite me. I’m a visionary and have the strategic know-how to help vision become reality. I’m a consensus builder and I’m energized by helping people and churches clarify their strategic choices. In my estimation, the future is exciting!
Professionally I’ve been blessed with mentors who have made all the difference in my life. Through their involvement I’ve been able to work as a Certified Consultant for Trustee Leadership Development, a national program aimed at strengthening not-for-profit organizations as well as become an assistant evaluator in a Lilly Foundation project to assess a pioneering course on leadership theory at the John F. Kennedy School of Leadership at Harvard.
At heart I love the church and I’m thrilled to be serving Wentz’s United Church of Christ. I look forward to working together with God’s love and grace as we reach, engage, and invite our wider community to join in, bringing the world that much closer together.
With sincere joy,
