While most church members turn to their pastor for leadership and guidance, congregation members at Parkesburg Mennonite Church actually benefit from a pastoral team of three, which has been put in place to meet their needs and guide them into the future.

Members of the pastoral team are James Westmoreland, former pastor at Newlinville Mennonite Church in Coatesville, and Elvin and Wendy Kennel, who are associate pastors credentialed through LMC, formerly known as the Lancaster Mennonite Conference.

The team assumed its duties on Nov. 1, 2022, to replace J.W. Sprunger, who had to step out of ministry to care for his wife, who was dealing with a serious illness. "We have a bishop that met with the congregation, and through it all, it became evident that the three of us would (become the pastoral team)," said Elvin. "We stepped up in new ways. We felt like the Holy Spirit was nudging each of us and saying, 'Here is where you should be.'"

"We were already doing some leadership roles," Wendy added. "Elvin and James had been leading worship, and I had been playing piano and doing music and visitation."

Westmoreland was an English teacher in the Coatesville Area School District for 32 years and served as pastor of Newlinville until it closed in 2018.

Elvin and Wendy raised their two children in the church and have been part of the church community for the last 22 years, serving in various roles in the church. Elvin is the former principal of West Fallowfield Christian School and Lancaster Mennonite High School, and Wendy is a registered nurse who spent most of her career in home health nursing.

Each has assumed his or her own roles in the church. "James preaches twice a month and I preach once a month," said Elvin. "Wendy does worship planning and leading, and I do more of the administrative (work). We all give some pastoral care."

Sunday school is held at the church at 9:30 a.m., followed by the 10:30 a.m. worship service. "It is a warm, personal mixture of contemporary and traditional elements," said Elvin.

The church's outreach activities include offering a GriefShare program; providing support to Parkesburg Churches Community Outreach (PCCO), the Parkesburg POINT youth center and the Octorara Area Food Cupboard; and sponsoring a Girl Scout troop. It also offers a monthly Sew-Much-Love group, which is currently making comforters for the Mennonite Central Committee, and it holds a Soup and Prayer program every other Thursday during Lent.

So far, the pastoral team has come together to lead the church. "We are all open to working together and finding our way together," said Elvin. "It is interesting how people have different relationships, connections and gifts."

"We are learning and growing and that's all you can ask for," Westmoreland added.

Parkesburg Mennonite Church is located at 44 E. Second Ave., Parkesburg. For more information about church activities, call 610-857-3761 or email parkesburgmennonitechurch@gmail.com.