Pastoral Staff
Four assistants join Bishop Hoover in making up this synod’s pastoral staff, each called to relate to several conferences, assist congregations in transition, support rostered leaders, and serve as liaisons to synodical committees. The pastoral staff includes:
The
Rev. Virginia J. Cover
Assistant to the Bishop
Responsibilities include:
- Liaison to: Gettysburg, Chambersburg, Hanover, Perry, and West Cumberland Conferences
- Mobility Coordinator
- Deans
- Leadership Support
- Staff Liaison to Worship Committee
eMail: vcover@lss-elca.org
The Rev. Virginia J. Cover joined the staff of the Lower Susquehanna Synod as an Assistant to Bishop B. Penrose Hoover on May 1, 2010. Prior to accepting the call she served as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Mechanicsburg from 2007 to 2010.
Pastor Cover has a Bachelor of Arts degree in music Education from Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, West Virginia, 2003 and a Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, 2007.
Pastor Cover is married to Curtis Glidewell, a high school band director.
The
Rev. Clifton D. Eshbach
Assistant to the Bishop
Responsibilities include:
- Liaison to: North Lancaster, West Shore, North York, South York, and Upper Dauphin Conferences
- Staff support to Church in Society Committee, World Hunger Committee, Global Mission Committee, Companion Diocese Committee, communications
eMail: ceshbach@lss-elca.org
The Rev. Clifton D. Eshbach is one of four assistants to the bishop in the Lower Susquehanna Synod. His call began on April 25, 2009.
Prior to joining the synod staff, he was associate pastor of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Greenfield Road, Lancaster. He was ordained in 2000 and served as pastor for Flohr’s Lutheran Church, McKnightstown, Adams County, from 2000-2004. From 1997 to 1999 he was director of Camp Nawakwa, a Lutheran camp near Gettysburg. Before studying for the ordained ministry, Pastor Eshbach was a news anchor for WLYH-TV, Lebanon-Lancaster, and a fundraiser for the United Way of Lebanon County.
He holds a bachelor of humanities degree from Penn State Harrisburg, a master of divinity degree from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, and is currently a candidate for a doctor of ministry degree at Lancaster Theological Seminary.
Pastor Eshbach is a native of Berks County. He and his wife, Barbara, have four adult sons.
The Rev. David R. Fisher
Assistant to the Bishop for Evangelical Mission
Responsibilities include:
- Working with the synod staff and conference deans to build and develop initiatives with congregations, conferences, parishes, and cooperatives (mission strategy)
- Developing the stewardship resources of this synod that include stewardship education, the convening of mission support conversations, the strengthening of synodical and congregational generosity, and the promotion of asset thinking and planning (mission support)
- Identifying potential and resources for the revitalization and development of evangelizing congregations and, where, appropriate, the formation of new evangelizing ministries and congregations.
- Current geographic mission focus on: Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York Conferences.
eMail: dfisher@lss-elca.org
The Rev. David R. Fisher first joined the staff of the Lower Susquehanna Synod on November 12, 2001. Prior to accepting the call as one of four assistants to Bishop Carol S. Hendrix, he was pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Millersville, Penna., 1984-2001. He was associate pastor at Lakeside Lutheran Church, Harrisburg, Penna., 1973-1977, and senior pastor of Lakeside from 1977-1984. He became an assistant to Bishop B. Penrose Hoover on January 19, 2008. Pastor Fisher was called to the evangelical mission position by the ELCA Church Council. He assumed those responsibilities on February 1, 2009.
Pastor Fisher graduated in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Gettysburg College. He received his Master of Divinity degree from the Hamma School of Theology at Wittenburg University, 1973.
While a parish pastor, Pastor Fisher served on the Mutual Ministry Committee of the Lower Susquehanna Synod and as a synod conflict consultant. During his call at St. Paul, Pastor Fisher was actively involved in the ecumenical campus ministry program at Millersville University. He also served on the board of directors of Susquehanna University and of the Lancaster Mediation Center.
Pastor Fisher is married to Janice Brown Fisher, a retired middle school reading teacher. They are parents to Adam Andrew and J. Eric. They also have two grandsons, Owen and Grayson.
The
Rev. Thomas E. McKee
Assistant to the Bishop
Responsibilities include:
- Liaison to Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York Conferences
- Synod Secretary
- Synod Assembly
- Constitutions
- Personnel
- Staff liaison to Candidacy Committee
eMail: tmckee@lss-elca.org
The Rev. Thomas E. McKee first joined the staff of the Lower Susquehanna Synod on October 1, 2001. Prior to accepting the call as one of four assistants to Bishop Carol S. Hendrix, he was co-pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, York, Penna., 1974-2001. He became an assistant to Bishop B. Penrose Hoover on January 19, 2008.
Pastor McKee graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Thiel College. He received his Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg in 1974. He was ordained in 1974 by the Western Pennsylvania-West Virginia Synod of the Lutheran Church in America.
While a parish pastor, Pastor McKee served on the Synod Council and its Executive Committee. He also served as a conference dean and as a part-time chaplain at Lutheran Social Services South Central Pennsylvania and at Country Meadows of York. He has served as synod secretary since 1999.
Pastor Thomas McKee is married to the Rev. Judith A. McKee. They are parents to Michael Paul and Sarah Ruth and grandparents to granddaughter, Kennedy Lory McKee, and grandson, Micah Bayden McKee.
LOWER SUSQUEHANNA
SYNOD
900
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