Pastor installed
David R. Rowe, Oley, was formally installed as pastor of Jerusalem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Schuyl-kill Haven, on Feb. 24.
Nearly 175 people participated in the celebration as the Rev. Dr. Samuel R. Zeiser, bishop of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod, led the service. The Rev. John Houck, pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, Leesport, a longtime colleague and friend of Rowe's, preached the sermon.
The church's choir was accompanied by instrumentalists from Lebanon Valley College, Annville, and Rowe's son, Andrew, a music performance graduate of Penn State University, was tuba soloist. Holy communion was offered following the installation with the assistance of Rowe's daughter, Becky, an ordained Lutheran pastor, and a dinner proceeded the service in the church social hall.
Rowe is a graduate of Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, and served three previous charges before accepting the call at Jerusalem. He was most recently pastor at Friedens Lutheran Church, Oley, Berks County, for 18 years.
Rowe and his wife, Mary, live in Oley.Eagle Scout
Connor Lechleitner, a senior at Blue Mountain High School and a member of Auburn Boy Scout Troop 617, was recently awarded his Eagle Scout Award. He continues as a Scout leader with this troop.
His project is the Auburn Armed Forces Memorial. It represents all five services on individual monuments pointed toward the American flag and a large boulder with the memorial's name. It stands behind the baseball fields at the park in Auburn.
Connor began planning the project in November 2012 and broke ground on Dec. 15. He completed the project on Dec. 23.
"The reason I chose to build a veterans memorial for my Eagle Scout project is a personal one," Connor said in a press release. "I am someone who loves this country deeply; I also hail from a military family and am in the process of enlisting with the Marines myself.
"I also believe the veterans of our past, present and future deserve recognition and respect that can never fully be given due to the sheer amount of it I believe they deserve. Both the brave souls who died for this country as well as those who lived for it.
"This memorial bares my name ⦠I am proud of it and I hope it stands for years to come and will serve as a testament to those who take it upon themselves the responsibility for the defense, of both this country and its people."
A dedication is planned for the spring.
He is a son of Ed and Kimberly Lechleitner.