Our Pastor

Pastor Sam was appointed the senior pastor of the Collingswood First United Methodist church in July 2008. He has been in pastoral ministry since 1978 where he began as a youth pastor in Milford, Mass. He served churches in Missouri, Bel Air, Maryland, Bethlehem, Pa  and his latest assignment was the Seashore Community Church of the Nazarene, Cape May, NJ  for over 10 wonderful years.

He graduated from Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Massachusetts and has considerable graduate credits from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. He also completed large church management school, and completed other pastoral and chaplain certifications.

Pastor Sam has always has had a heart not only to serve his church but extended into the community as well. He has served his denomination in district appointments from Finance teams to Credential appointments to Evangelism development teams as well. He served the  community in support as chaplain to local schools, hospitals, prisons, business associates, town council, and directed summer concert series in Cape May.  He also directed Lower  Township Chaplaincy Ministry (which included police, fire and rescue).  He has been married to Lisa since August 1981 and has three wonderful children.  Brad  recently graduated from Eastern Nazarene College. Karisa will be a junior at Eastern  Nazarene College in the fall. Stephany will be a junior in high school. Lisa is also currently serving as Administrative Assistant at the Medford United Methodist Church. Pastor Sam likes to read, loves all Philadelphia sports, golfing, and fishing, but most of all spending time with his family.

A message to you from Pastor Sam...

 We count being your shepherd as a privilege and a great responsibility. I know that this church has done great things for God. I am excited as we look forward to the future to see what the Lord has in store for us now. In my prayer time I feel the Lord has place some initial direction for us and it is simple. Collingswood First Methodist Church is to be a place of Grace. Not what we say at the table or some politeness that seems fitting in a church but a place of grace that emulates the life, love, and passion of Jesus to one another and in the greater Collingswood area and beyond.

Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesians chapter 3 talks about the greatness of God and the powerful work of love God desires to do in our lives. This love and God’s power is more than we can imagine. My prayer for our church is for us to experience and live out this love and grace in our daily lives.  We have an opportunity to make a mighty impact in and outside of our church in the days ahead in a fresh new way.  I am going to ask you to join me in prayer daily that the Lord would move in us together to become a dynamic church.

“A Dynamic Church”

A confused, chaotic, convulsing world, gasping for life and breath, will not be touched by a tame church, mouthing time-worn clichés and pious platitudes.  To affect a dirty world, it will take a pure church; to infect a sad world, it will take a joyous church; to rapture an apathetic world, it will take a convicted church; to challenge a dying world, it will take a live church; to heal a sick world, it will take a well church. 
It will take a church unafraid of cancer, unaffected by roadblocks, unflinching in the face of criticism, and unmoved by persecution.  It will take a church that dares to dream big, to work long, and to pray desperately, to plan carefully, to fight bravely, to storm the gates of evil and lethargy.  It will take a church that is unwilling to compromise, more than willing to sacrifice, more than ready to be inconvenienced and more than anxious to risk.

It will take a church whose strength is equal to her task, a church claiming all the gifts of the Spirit, all the power available and all the authority given.  It will take a church with godly gusto, prevailing prayer, demonstrating determination and victorious venture to win the battle. It will take a church divinely sent, moving, planning, conquering with supernatural power.  (Author unknown)

As you browse through this web site, more than anything else, I hope you can feel our burden to be of service to anyone who is looking to know to God’s love personally and want to encourage everyone to live out God’s love passionately. 

Click HERE for Pastor Sam's letter from the latest issue of First Church Windows.

 

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This page last updated 05/05/10.