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An installation service was held recently at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 142 Market St., for new pastor Brian David Vasey.
Vasey's first Sunday was in early November and, after a few weeks, a service is held to be "technically installed" with the church. An interim pastor had served in the position for the last three years.
Vasey, who plans to commute from Lewisburg, hopes to accomplish an "atmosphere of welcome to all and for all a sense of continued ministry of God's love in the church and in the community." He hopes to place an emphasis on the tenants of Lutheranism and quoted Martin Luther, "God doesn't need your good works but your neighbor does."
As part of the installation service congregational representatives and Rev. Barbara J. Collins, bishop of the Upper Susquehanna Synod, ELCA, Rev. Craig A. Miller, assistant to the bishop of the Upper Susquehanna Synod, ELCA, and Rev. Ted Cockley, dean of the West Branch Conference, Upper Susquehanna Synod, ELCA, affirmed vows between Vasey, themselves, and the congregation to celebrate a new commitment.
"It takes all of us to proclaim the word of Jesus Christ," Rev. Collins said during the service. "To begin the season of hope we want to help others know about God. To help others see through actions that God really does love them and this afternoon we celebrate together the beginning of a new relationship."
Vasey hopes to meet all 381 members of St. Mark's Lutheran Church and encourages people to stop by and introduce themselves. He plans to visit homes and is using a pictorial directory to put names with faces. He visited with some members at a reception following the installation in the church's fellowship hall.
"I have a relationship with him that I think is great already," said Louis DeSeau, a life member of St. Mark's and custodian for the last 15 years. "He hasn't been here a full month yet but we say our morning prayer together."
Linda Rosini, St. Mark's Lutheran Church council president, explained the interim pastor was ready to move on and the previous pastor retired after 20 years. "We are very pleased all the way around," Rosini said. "He seems very enthused and he's very welcoming. It's been a long time coming but worth waiting for and it's exciting too with the induction service and the bishop coming."
With the upcoming advent season, Vasey is looking forward to afternoon services, which he hasn't done in other churches; the Chrismon's service, the order of worship for decorating an evergreen tree, and the services for Christmas Eve and Christmas.
Vasey was excited to return to Williamsport. He graduated from Lycoming College in 1981. "This is a homecoming for me," Vasey said. "This was the Lutheran church I would frequent during school never realizing, of course, I would be back." Originally from Geneseo, N.Y., which is 25 miles South of Rochester, Vasey received an associate's degree in arts from Monroe Community College, his bachelor's from Lycoming College and his Master of Divinity from Drew Theological School in New Jersey.
"When I was a sophomore in college I was divided on what I should do," Vasey explained. "I had a presence of God leading me in this direction and doors slam in my face when I tried to pursue other things."
His last post was with St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Mifflinville since 2015. He plans to reside in the Lewisburg area because his wife, Joanne, is the music coordinator for Christ's Lutheran Church, Lewisburg. They have two children, Brandy, who sang during the induction service, and is married to Stephen Aguirre; and Tim, who is employed as an actor at Hershey's Chocolate World.
Vasey enjoys the N.Y. Mets and Buffalo Bills sports teams, downhill skiing, pizza and the television series "Blue Bloods."
St. Mark's worship services are held weekdays at 9 a.m., Saturday evening at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 8 and 10:30 a.m.