January 16, 2009

On Sabbath, January 10, I joined the East Suburban Church for morning Sabbath School and worship. After the worship service, we had a combined meeting with the East Suburban and Greensburg Churches. I shared with them that we had selected Donald Lewis to be the Volunteer Lay Pastor of the East Suburban Church and Brandon Yorty to be the Volunteer Lay Pastor of the Greensburg Church.

Donald is retired from the U.S. Veterans Hospital system and has been serving as the Head Elder at East Suburban Church. He also just completed the lay pastor training course taught by Jim Wibberding. Donald was baptized by Bill Peterson in Gulf States a number of years ago, and was trained by Bill there in Church ministry. Brandon had served as an elder at East Suburban a few years ago under David Livergood. Then Brandon and his wife moved to Michigan where she completed a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and the University of Michigan. They then returned back to Western Pennsylvania. Brandon works for the Department of Aging, overseeing the financial accounts and bills for some 60-70 elderly individuals. Brandon and his wife are moving to the Greensburg community.

We have placed the East Suburban and Greensburg churches under the district leadership of Elder Bob Williams. He will coach and advise the Volunteer Lay Pastors of these two churches as they will have the majority of the leadership and spiritual direction for the churches.

Later in the afternoon I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. David Anderson, DDS., to be the new Volunteer Lay Pastor for the Washington Heights Church. Dr. Anderson is a graduate of Pine Forge Academy, Oakwood College and Howard University. In addition to operating a dental practice in the Pittsburgh area, he is also a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dentistry. Dr. Anderson grew up watching his father serve as a church elder and also as a lay pastor. He has served, himself, as a church elder, a head elder, and in a number of local ministry positions. We praise God for his willingness to bring spiritual leadership to the Washington Heights church family.

Bill Oblitely had recently served as the Volunteer Lay Pastor, Bill has been a professor at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the computer department. He was selected for a Fulbright Fellowship and is currently serving in Ghana for one year before returning to Pennsylvania. Bill has served on our Conference Executive Committee, the Union Executive Committee and the Conference Constitution and By-Laws Committee.