Rev. Tony Fields, Sr., pastor
Pastor Tony’s Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays, 11 AM – 4 PM at Christ Church UCC; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 AM – 4 PM at St. John’s UCC.
In May 2019 St. John’s UCC entered into a cooperative ministry with Christ Church UCC; this means the pastor serves St. John’s part time while serving Christ Church UCC part time.
A welcome message from our pastor…
As your Pastor, it is a joy to open the church doors and welcome those who gather for worship, education, fellowship, and service at St John’s United Church of Christ. Having the opportunity to share in God’s new holy adventures with St John’s is hope-filled. In this adventure together, we shall become a place where “rhetoric wears shoes.”
Our congregation is an active and growing community of faith made up of unique individuals with the willingness to draw closer collectively, to know, experience, and proclaim the Good News!
In this new holy adventure of sharing the gospel message, providing a spiritual environment for spiritual growth will equip us to break boundaries. Together we shall welcome the stranger, engage in the struggle against injustices, and have our voices echo to loosen the hold of complacency. Our rhetoric shall put on shoes.
Furthermore, our doors will swing on the hinges of welcome for us to become beacons of light in our community. As we seek to show ourselves as a caring and inviting church, we will recognize the importance of forming new relationships, engaging with ecumenical partners, and serving alongside community social agencies who share our mission and vision.
As we pursue this new holy adventure together, I encourage you to join in with open hearts, minds and hands.
St. John’s United Church of Christ…a church where Rhetoric Wears Shoes!
and a brief biography…
Pastor Tony was born in Brooklyn, New York, but at age seven his family moved to South Carolina. He graduated from Denmark–Olar High School and three weeks after graduation, he joined the U.S. Army. Pastor Tony is a 14 year Army and Desert Storm veteran. He is married to the lovely Josephine “Jodie” Fields. Together they have six children and two grandsons.
Prior to coming to St. John’s UCC, Pastor Tony served as pastor at St. Paul’s UCC, Knox, PA, where he served on the Church and Ministry Committee for the Penn West Conference of the UCC. Previously he served as the chair of the Credential Committee for General Synod 28, delegate of Penn West Conference. Pastor Tony also served as vice president and president of the Clarion Association, and on the Board of Directors and on the Mission Ministry Committee for Penn West Conference. Enthusiastically, Pastor Tony served as president of the Knox Ministerium and worked with Charitable Deeds and Knox Caring Cupboard. He also provided spiritual guidance and worship throughout the school year with Clarion University students.
Pastor Tony has an Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Harrisburg Area Community College, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; a Bachelor of Science degree in Christian Studies from Lancaster Bible College; a Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary and Master of Psychology degree from Phoenix University. He has also completed the Church Planting/Revitalization course with the Center of Progressive Renewal.
Pastor Tony also writes columns for The Clarion News; click the link to go to their website, and type his name in the search box to read his most recent articles. Please be advised that a paid subscription is required to read the articles in their entirety.
Pastors & Seminarians Who Have Served St. John’s UCC
| Pastors: | |
| Rev. John Conrad Templeman | 1740-43, 1746-57 |
| Rev. William Hendel | 1765-67 |
| Rev. J.C. Bucher | 1767-80 |
| Rev. John Runkel | 1780-84 |
| Rev. Andrew Lorentz | 1785-86 |
| Rev. Ludwig Lupp | 1786-98 |
| Rev. William Heister | 1800-24 |
| Rev. John Gring | 1824-70 |
| Rev. William Reily | 1870-72 |
| Rev. C.H. Mutchler | 1872-78 |
| Rev. A.R. Bartholomew | 1878-82 |
| Rev. Tobias Kessler | 1882-89 |
| Rev. J.A. Wickert | 1889-91 |
| Rev. Henry Hilbish | 1893-99 |
| Rev. H.A. Keyser | 1900-05 |
| Rev. C.A. Butz | 1905-08 |
| Rev. T.H. Bachman | 1909-10 |
| Rev. Charles Rissinger | 1911-53 |
| Rev. Ralph Todd | 1954-61 |
| Rev. Kenneth Mulholland | 1962-66 |
| Rev. Eilus Haldeman | 1966-76 |
| Rev. Winfield Engler (Interim) | 1976-77 |
| Rev. Scott Shay | 1977-85 |
| Rev. Barry Smock (Interim) | 1985 |
| Rev. David Goode | 1985-92 |
| Rev. Reynold Ziegler (Interim) | 1992-93 |
| Rev. George Heckard | 1993-97 |
| Rev. John Schaeffer (Interim) | 1997-99 |
| Rev. Thomas Jackman (Interim) | 1999-00 |
| Rev. Drew Morris | 2000-04 |
| Rev. Linda Lauman (Supply) | 2004 |
| Rev. Christopher Rankin | 2004-2012 |
| Pastor Herbert Hibshman, Jr. (Interim) | 2013-2014 |
| Rev. Tony Fields, Sr. | 2014- |
| Seminarians: | |
| Mr. Tony Fields, Sr. | 2006-2007 |
| Ms. Ashley Cain-Borgman | 2007-2008 |
| Mrs. Lynn Wetzel | 2009-2010 |