Local clergy meet monthly as Lehigh Ministerial Association
Pastor Jason Phillips
Pastor Jason Phillips says the Lehigh Ministerial Association is approaching its third year this coming December and it is a great time of fellowship between ministers of all faiths who come together on the second Wednesday of the month at noon and have lunch at Lehigh Regional Medical Center.
“We usually have a speaker, but when we don’t we all sit around and talk about the things we’re doing in our churches, how we can do things together as a group. We laugh and joke with each other and have a good time,” Philips, the chaplain at LRMC said.
“We’re just a group of ministers and pastors in the community and we enjoy being with each other at these meetings which the hospital is happy to provide us with a room and lunch.
“We have about 20 members and we are looking to get the word out to all the ministers in Lehigh that an invitation is open to all of them.”
Phillips and other members of the clergy in Lehigh said at their meeting last week that there are probably 50 to 80 churches in Lehigh. Many of them are small and meet in homes and other are starting up in store fronts.
They agreed that they thought it was for the betterment of the community if members of the clergy came together once a month just to meet and talk.
“We think the members of our churches would like for the community to know that we want to know each other and build up new friendships,” Phillips said.
The meetings always open with a payer and while they pick up their food from a table the hospital has prepared. Differences on their beliefs are not discussed, but members may at times come forth with experiences they have had in their own individual faiths.
“It’ll be three years in December when Pastor Farrand Deroy of Grace Family Church said they saw a need to form an informal group of clergy and invite them to come together to get to know one another.
This followed a group that disbanded a few years ago.
Last week, Pastor Deb Frysinger of the First Community Congregational Church attended her first meeting. Representing the oldest and first church built in Lehigh, she said a lot of the pastors of many churches in Lehigh began their meeting at that church.
“We all influenced by our Lord and influenced by the gospel and the message of Jesus,” Pastor Phillips said.
Those who represent the clergy of the church and others, such as youth ministers and others who represent a church are always welcome.
Members of the group say they have no agenda, but just a nice time with conversation among each other.
If you are a member of a church, you are encouraged to urge your pastor and others who minister to the church congregation to attend the monthly luncheons.
Phillips says you’ll be put on an email list to remind you each month of the get together.
“It’s good for Lehigh and for all those who are members of the many churches here,” Phillips said.
One of the members said being a minister can sometimes be a lonely profession and meeting with others who experience the same things as the head of the church is a good thing.
Local clergy meet monthly as Lehigh Ministerial Association
Pastor Jason Phillips
Pastor Jason Phillips says the Lehigh Ministerial Association is approaching its third year this coming December and it is a great time of fellowship between ministers of all faiths who come together on the second Wednesday of the month at noon and have lunch at Lehigh Regional Medical Center.
“We usually have a speaker, but when we don’t we all sit around and talk about the things we’re doing in our churches, how we can do things together as a group. We laugh and joke with each other and have a good time,” Philips, the chaplain at LRMC said.
“We’re just a group of ministers and pastors in the community and we enjoy being with each other at these meetings which the hospital is happy to provide us with a room and lunch.
“We have about 20 members and we are looking to get the word out to all the ministers in Lehigh that an invitation is open to all of them.”
Phillips and other members of the clergy in Lehigh said at their meeting last week that there are probably 50 to 80 churches in Lehigh. Many of them are small and meet in homes and other are starting up in store fronts.
They agreed that they thought it was for the betterment of the community if members of the clergy came together once a month just to meet and talk.
“We think the members of our churches would like for the community to know that we want to know each other and build up new friendships,” Phillips said.
The meetings always open with a payer and while they pick up their food from a table the hospital has prepared. Differences on their beliefs are not discussed, but members may at times come forth with experiences they have had in their own individual faiths.
“It’ll be three years in December when Pastor Farrand Deroy of Grace Family Church said they saw a need to form an informal group of clergy and invite them to come together to get to know one another.
This followed a group that disbanded a few years ago.
Last week, Pastor Deb Frysinger of the First Community Congregational Church attended her first meeting. Representing the oldest and first church built in Lehigh, she said a lot of the pastors of many churches in Lehigh began their meeting at that church.
“We all influenced by our Lord and influenced by the gospel and the message of Jesus,” Pastor Phillips said.
Those who represent the clergy of the church and others, such as youth ministers and others who represent a church are always welcome.
Members of the group say they have no agenda, but just a nice time with conversation among each other.
If you are a member of a church, you are encouraged to urge your pastor and others who minister to the church congregation to attend the monthly luncheons.
Phillips says you’ll be put on an email list to remind you each month of the get together.
“It’s good for Lehigh and for all those who are members of the many churches here,” Phillips said.
One of the members said being a minister can sometimes be a lonely profession and meeting with others who experience the same things as the head of the church is a good thing.
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