Christ's United Lutheran Church

Our Pastor
and His Family

From Left to Right: Daughters Janelle and Alethea, Rev. Robert F. Hoenich, Wife, Nan and Daughter Gwen

At a meeting of the congregation on February 11, 2001, the congregation voted unanimously to elect the Rev. Robert F. Hoenich as the new pastor of Christ's United Lutheran Church. He began his ministry here among us on April 1, 2001.

Rev. Hoenich had been the pastor of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Pine Grove, Pa. for twenty years and was at one time, in the 1970's, an intern here at Christ's United Lutheran Church as well.

He is well known throughout the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod and had been Dean of the Schuylkill Mission District for 6 years.

Pastor Hoenich is a very well known and respected member of the clergy, and he is a tremendous asset to Christ's United Lutheran Church.

On May 24, 2003, a Festival Service was held at Christ's United Lutheran Church in honor of Pastor Hoenich's 30th Anniversary Celebration of his Ordination.

Front: Pastor Hoenich and his wife, Nan
Back, from left, daughters, Dr. Alethea L. Wessner, Gwen Hoenich-Moyer and Janelle L. Hoenich
all of Pine Grove

Participants in the Worship Service included the following:

The Rev. David R. Strobel,	Bishop of Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod
The Rev. Bryan Dever,	Pastor of Bethany E.C. Church, Ashland, Pa.
The Rev. Fred Fisher,	Then Dean of the Schuylkill Mission District
The Rev. Cynthia Kennett,	Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Frackville, Pa.
The Rev. Scott Lingenfelter,	Then Pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Ashland, Pa.
The Rev. Barbara Pence,	Then Pastor of St. John's U.C.C. Church, Kimmels
The Rev. Elna Stratton,	Then Pastor of Zion's Lutheran Church, Girardville

The service also included greetings by Ann Marie Dillman, then Vice President of Church Council and Bishop David Strobel's greetings from the church. A solo, "Goin' Up Yonder", was sung by Pastor Hoenich's daughter, Janelle.

After the service a delicious dinner was served in the Fellowship Hall, followed by a good-natured "roasting" of Pastor Hoenich by friends and pastors who had us laughing, while sharing with us some of the more humorous tales and adventures of Pastor Hoenich over the past thirty years to the present. The tales of his fishing woes and his driving experiences were especially hilarious.

Special Thanks go to Ann Marie Dillman, Paula Chuplis, Jack Houser, Judy Stepulitis and Dean Fetterolf for a job well done in planning and putting together the Festival Service in Honor of Pastor Hoenich's 30th Anniversary of his Ordination.

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