Pastors of Christ Church

History of Pastors Serving Christ Church

The Rev. Henry H. Rupp
     April 21, 1909 - January 5, 1914
     Organized the congregation and served as the first pastor of Christ Church,
     serving a three point charge with Wyomissing UCC and Salem (Bausman)
     UCC.

The Rev. Charles E. Creitz
     Supply Pastor for part of 1914

The Rev. Charles E. Schaeffer
     Supply Pastor for part of 1914

The Rev. Thomas W. Dickert
     Supply Pastor for part of 1914, while serving St. Stephen's UCC in Reading.

The Rev. Dr. Thomas J. Hacker
     June 15, 1914 - June 30, 1921
     He left his church in Roanake, VA to come here and serve a three point charge
     with Wyomissing UCC and Salem (Bausman) UCC.  He was an older minister
     at the time of his call, who left Christ Church in order that it may become a
     two point charge with Rosedale UCC in Laureldale.

The Rev. Fred D. Wentzel
     July 3, 1921 - January 1, 1927
     After graduation from Lancaster Theological Seminary, he answered a call to
     serve here in a two point charge with Rosedale UCC.  He left to become the
     Director of Leadership Training for the Reformed Church in Philadelphia.

The Rev. Samuel Givler, Jr.
     February 1, 1927 - May 31, 1950
     After graduating from seminary, he answered a call to serve here in a two
     point charge with Rosedale UCC.  From 1943-1946 he served as a chaplain in
     the U.S. Army during WWII.  He remained with Rosedale UCC after the split of
     the charge.

Dr. Raymond W. Albright
     1943-1946
     Dr. Albright, who was on the faculty of Albright College and member of the
     Evangelical United Brethren denomination served Christ Church, while the
     Rev. Givler was serving as a chaplain in the U.S. Army during WWII.

The Rev. Dr. John C. Shetler
     January 1, 1951 - March 31, 1964
     First full-time pastor of Christ Church, who earned his D.Min. while serving
     here.  He left to become an Associate Conference Minister and then became
     the Conference Minister and President of the Pennsylvania Southeast
     Conference of the UCC.  During his time here a parsonage and a new
     sanctuary were built.

The Rev. Clarence R. Funk
     July 19, 1964 - August 31, 1966

The Rev. Robert F. Harting
     January 1, 1967 - August 31, 1988
     He was the longest full-time pastor to serve Christ Church, and after retiring
     was honored by the congregation as Pastor Emeritus. 
     During his time here a new Sunday school and fellowship building was built.
     He led Christ Church on a trip to the Holy Lands.

The Rev. Guy A. Wenck
     December 18, 1988 - December 31, 1989

The Rev. Edith Gettis
     January 1990 - June 30, 1992
     Interim Pastor, who had previously retired from full-time ministry. 
     She began monthly healing services and a second Sunday morning worship
     service.

The Rev. Jeffery F. Hammonds
     July 1, 1992 - December 31, 1996
     He began communing pre-confirmation age children and began weekly
     communion during the early Sunday worship service.

The Rev. Clyde Huber
     March 16, 1997 - May 31, 1998
     Interim Pastor, who had previously retired from full-time ministry.

The Rev. Dr. Benjamin D. Motz
     June 1, 1998 - August 31, 2008
     A graduate of our Lancaster Theological Seminary, Christ Church was
     Rev. Dr. Motz's first pastorate.  He earned his D.Min. in Ministry to Marriages
     and Families and LMFT while serving here.  
     During Rev. Dr. Motz's pastorate here Christ Church began its first web-site,
     added e-mail and a fax, computerized the church records, and modernized
     church records to include the first name of married women (previously only
     "Mrs." and the husband's first and last name were listed).  
     The church began a missional relationship with the Good Shepherd Mission in
     Puttur, Inida; took mission trips to there and Florida; andn began child
     sponsorship.
     During his pastorate, we added Consistory positions for teenagers,
     began weekly Wednesday evening services, introduced large print Bibles,
     bilingual Bibles, and children's bulletins, reinitiated nursery and adult Sunday
     school, added other youth, young adult, new member, and community
     education classes and workshops, initiated numerous evangelism programs,
     reinitiated worship on Thanksgiving Eve and Ascension Day, and began the
     traditions of: Holy Humor Sunday, Knoebel's Grove worship, and prayers
     of remembrance during Sunday worship.
     He supervised Christ Church's first seminarian intern.

The Rev. Kenneth Fry
     September 2004 - May 2005
     Seminarian intern under the supervision of the Rev. Dr. Motz. 
     At the time, the then Mr. Fry was studying for his M.Div. at our Lancaster
     Theological Seminary.  He has since become an ordained minister in the UCC. 

The Rev. Harry Clark
     January 2007 - February 2007
     Ordained Presbyterian Minister
     Stated Supply Pastor during the first half of Rev. Dr. Motz's sabbatical.

The Rev. Kerry Smart
     June 2007 - August 2007
     Stated Supply Pastor during the second half of Rev. Dr. Motz's sabbatical. 

Current Pastoral Staff

     For more about our current pastoral staff, click on the link for our Church Staff page.