On Jan. 3, Petra Church, 565 Airport Road, New Holland, held a special service during which a new senior pastor took on the mantle of leadership. After nearly 40 years helming the church, senior pastors Lester and Erma Zimmerman retired, and Brian Coles became the new lead pastor. Brian and his wife, Tracy, first joined the Petra ministerial staff as student ministries pastors in 2016. Tracy now serves as Petra's local outreach pastor, and Lester will move into an expanded role providing leadership and oversight to the Hopewell Network of Churches to which Petra belongs.

Noting Petra's long history in New Holland, Brian, who grew up in Phoenixville, referred to the church's initial service in a local fire hall in January of 1983, which attracted between 50 and 80 people. The service was the beginning of a journey of growth and commitment. "The storyline of Petra is the story of a changing church," said Brian. "They were changing, moving, and evolving for 38 years." That openness to growth, Brian pointed out has resulted in a well-grounded entity. "The interesting thing about Petra is that it is such a stable piece of the local community," he noted. "It is an honor being involved in that."

Brian and Tracy, who is originally from the Williamsburg area, met while both were attending the University of Valley Forge located in Phoenixville. Brian earned a degree in pastoral counseling there, while Tracy's degree is in elementary education. "Our first pastoral role was in Moorestown, N.J., at Maranatha Christian Fellowship," said Brian. The couple served the independent church from 2008 until 2016.

Gradually, Brian and Tracy felt God moving them in a new direction. "We both sensed it was time for us to transition from our previous church," said Brian, who noted that the couple began the interview process, completing their assignment in Moorestown only a few days before beginning work at Petra. After relocating to Brownstown, they began overseeing the middle school and high school ministries at Petra, soon dividing the middle school program into sections for fifth and sixth grades and seventh and eighth grades and creating a young adult ministry. "The Lord was really blessing what we were doing, and we were growing and enjoying the community here," said Brian, who added, "We fell in love with the area and the people of the church."

Brian and Tracy were unaware that Petra's leadership was thinking about succession when they arrived, but when the conversation about succession started, Brian and Tracy were aware of God's leading. "We are kind of holding open our hands and saying, 'Lord what do you want for this next season of ministry for Petra?'" Brian said, adding that pastors Lester and Erma are passing a solid legacy to their successors. "(Petra has) such a rich heritage, and we are excited to build on that," he said, noting that emphasis will remain on healing and other hallmarks of the church's mission. "Those are parts of our DNA," said Brian. "We believe in making an investment in what we are and expanding out in directions God gives us."

Readers who would like to know more about Petra Church may visit http://www.petra.church or call 717-354-5394.