Pitman has a long history of wonderful Senior Pastors and I know I have big shoes to fill following the Rev. Dr. Lanie Price. Her outstanding leadership through the fire and rebuilding will always be remembered. I am so honored that Bishop Devadhar intends to appointment me to be the Senior Pastor of Pitman United Methodist Church effective July 1st. I pray that God will guide us all as we move forward.

We never move forward without knowing where we have been. Just as Pitman UMC was established in the Camp Meeting, so I first came to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior at the age of 12 through a series of youth events. Within months of my commitment to Christ, I felt a call to ministry. God confirmed this call through my family, youth group, and the support of my home church, Trinity UMC in Ewing Township, NJ. I believe God further confirmed the call when I started dating Carol while we were both attending Lebanon Valley College. In 1982, we graduated college, married, and started seminary at Drew University at the Theological School. In 2003, I received my Doctor of Ministry at Asbury Theological Seminary with a dissertation based on prayer and church growth.

Carol and I are blessed with three wonderful children: Elizabeth (age 22) will graduate this month from Lebanon Valley College and will begin medical school in August attending Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Daniel (age 20) is a sophomore at American University in Washington, D.C. in the School of International Relations. He anticipates studying in Moscow, Russia this fall semester. Matthew (age 17) is in 11th grade at Bishop Eustace Preparatory School. Carol, an actuary, is the Director of Health Care Economics at Health Partners, a non-profit health insurance company serving the Medicaid population of Philadelphia and surrounding Pennsylvania counties.

This will be my seventh appointment in 25 years of ministry. I have served tiny churches and large churches. I have planted a church and now I am blessed to serve Pitman UMC. Through all this history, I have proclaimed Christ as the way, the truth and the life. I believe God is actively working in our life through the Holy Spirit. God’s Word, the Bible, is my daily reading book, guide book, source book and most important book.

I am both humbled and honored to continue the great tradition of God actively bringing new people to faith in Jesus Christ in Pitman UMC. I look forward to serving the awesome laity of Pitman who are the hands and feet of the church. May we continue to add to the church triumphant as we lead a new generation to Christ!
 

In Christ’s service,

Pastor Larry

Pitman United Methodist Church

P.O. Box 7

Pitman, NJ  08071

(856) 589 - 8313

E-Mail: office@pitmanumc.org