In April of 2003 I was asked to be a guest preacher at First Church of Christ while the church was between ministers. At the time I was still maintaining a full time medical practice as a Family Physician in the Mount Washington Valley. As things progressed, I was called to be the pastor and teacher at First Church of Christ. I made arrangements to close my medical practice as of June 30 th , 2004 and began full time ministry at First Church on August 1, 2004.
Because this is not the usual background you might come to expect, some background history is in order. After college at Lehigh University and a year and one half of working in the field of business, I felt called to the ministry. I therefore attended the Theological School at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey and was ordained in the United Methodist Church and served churches in New Jersey for 14years. I then wanted to make a more concrete contribution to the health and welfare of God's people as a physician. During the last years in New Jersey I was in a small student church while attending Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
After three years of residency in New Jersey, I came to Mount Washington Valley and participated as a lay person in the United Methodist Church in Conway. Through the 25 years of practicing medicine in the valley I was privileged to preach in many churches in the valley as a guest preacher. I had always maintained my credentials as a United Methodist Minister.
The United Church of Christ, recognizing the credentials of ordination in the United Methodist Church, granted me dual standing. By this they allow me to keep my standing as a retired United Methodist minister, while granting me all the privileges of being a United Church of Christ minister in First Church of Christ, Congregational, North Conway. This has been a rich and rewarding spiritual experience.
On a more personal note, I share the parsonage of the church with my wife of 22 years. Linda has helped me grow in my understanding of people, in opening my mind and heart, and keeping the need for encountering the Holy in the forefront of life. Between us we have five children, and nine grandchildren that try to keep us young, at least young in heart.
To sum up my theology in a few words would be extremely difficult but a few sentences might point the way in which I appear to be traveling.
Life is a journey. Christ has shown the Way. We die and rise again as symbolized by Christ's death and post-resurrection appearances. We die to the old life and rise in a new life centered in God. That is a life that is abundant, moving toward fullness and completeness as we are in relationship with God.
The life of a Christian is one that is moved to personal compassion for any of God's children who have any need that we can help meet. But it is also a life that is moved to strive for a communal need for Justice, Fairness, and Honesty as we deal with the structures and institutions that control the present world.
