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Left to right: Pastors Mary Gade, Jack Ivey, William Martin, Bob
Kramer; Bishop David Strobel; Pastor Cheryl Meinschein
Robert “Bob” Kramer was ordained and installed as assistant pastor
of the Lutheran congregation of Ziegels Union Church, Breinigsville, on November
7.
For Bob, this is a most improbable call to the ministry of Word and Sacrament.
Just five years ago, Bob thought retirement was around the corner. However, God
continued to tug at his heart to use the gifts given to him to the fullest. On
November 7, Bob fully answered that call and was ordained.
Bob began his formal preparation for the ordained ministry at Lancaster Theological
Seminary and graduated this past May from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in
Philadelphia. Included in his training were clinical pastoral education at the
Lancaster General Hospital, mission work at St. Vincent’s Mission, David,
Kentucky, contextual education at Trinity Lutheran Church, Reading, and an internship
at Ziegels.
He and his wife, Carolyn, live in Denver, Pa. They are the parents of two grown
children, Jennifer and Andrew; they have three grandchildren. Bob's previous
vocations include four years of teaching agriculture at the high school level
and 25 years as an operations manager for a Berks County bird feed manufacturer.
Bishop David R. Strobel presided and preached at the ordination/installation
service. The Rev. Mary W. Gade, senior pastor of the Lutheran congregation of
Ziegels, the Rev. Jack C. Ivey, pastor of the United Church of Christ congregation
of Ziegels, and the Rev. Cheryl Meinschein, associate of the bishop of Northeastern
Pennsylvania Synod, assisted.
The Rev. William A. Martin, retired pastor of the Muddy Creek Evangelical Lutheran
Church (Lower Susquehanna Synod), was the sponsoring pastor. The combined choirs
of Ziegels Lutheran, Ziegels UCC and Muddy Creek Lutheran, accompanied by the
Ziegels bell choir, offered the anthem, "Here I Am, Lord."
While the call to the ministry of Word and Sacrament seemed improbable to Bob,
he still answered, “Here I am, Lord.” And he looks forward to the
surprises the future may hold in his ministry of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
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