Reformation Lutheran Church Absecon, New Jersey established 1956

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THE HISTORY OF REFORMATION LUTHERAN CHURCH
Adapted and expanded from the history recorded by Art & Beryl Neumann

The roots of Reformation Lutheran Church lie in Epiphany Lutheran Church of Pleasantville, New Jersey. By 1955 an increasing number of families had moved into the Absecon area, and there was concern that the distance to Sunday School in Pleasantville was an obstacle to those with children.

The Rev. Richard H. Porritt met with several Absecon residents in May 1956 and the decision was to have a Sunday School in Absecon.

The old Conovertown School was purchased for $4,000. Located on an acre of land on Biscayne Avenue just off Shore Road, it was built prior to World War I. Vacant for 15 years, it was in great disrepair and full of refuse. Although the roof and belfry were heavily damaged, the walls and foundation were solid. Plans were made to rebuild and clean the structure. In order to get ready for Sunday School in the fall, the cleaning of the lot began and continued daily during the summer. Many vocations were represented among the volunteers, such as contractors, lumberers, well-diggers, carpenters, and many others.

The first Sunday service was held on a rainy cool October 7 with 45 children and 30 adults attending. Walter Finkbeiner used space and radiant heaters and a hot plate all night long to have the basement warm enough for the children by morning. Charles Fiedler had built an altar from wooden doors (this same altar was used during the two years that worship was held in the parish hall during the construction/renovation). An antique manual reed organ was secured by the Neumanns at a cost of $5. Tables and chairs were gleaned from the refuse in the building and furnishings were donated. A lectern, cross, candlesticks and vases were provided by Epiphany. Mr.& Mrs. Ted Glanding Sr. donated new flags.

During the following weeks more rooms were readied, another class was added and the exterior and interior were painted. By November 18 attendance had reached 60 children and 20 adults.

At the Congregational Meeting in January 1957, Epiphany voted to adopt a resolution stating that at such time as an Evangelical Lutheran Mission Church is established in the Absecon area, the title to the building and land together with all improvements . . .be given as a gift to the Evangelical Lutheran Church so established.

On Easter Sunday 1957 a special service was conducted by the Rev. Carl F. Yaeger of Pleasantville.

A religious survey of the area was ordered by the Board of American Missions and completed in October with 1400 calls made. Results showed 121 families with Lutheran background.

The first regular worship service was held on the church's first anniversary conducted by the Rev. Yaeger.

The Rev. Bruno I. Ederma became our first pastor, and conducted his first service April 20, 1958.

The volunteers set to work to convert the upstairs hall into a sanctuary. The first Communion service was held June 22 with 47 communicants, and 56 children enrolled in Vacation Bible School.

"The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Reformation" was selected as the name, later becoming "Reformation Lutheran Church."

In August 1958, the furnishings of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Dumont, were purchased as well as an organ. This was the home church of the Rev. Carl Joecks, our third pastor.

In September a marble cornerstone, marked "1958", was placed.

The first Congregational meeting was held November 1958. There were 104 adult charter members and 65 children.

A steeple designed and built by Charles Fiedler was hoisted to the rooftop by a crane operated by Robert Pattison. A crowd had gathered to watch, and all breathed a sigh of relief to see that it fit perfectly on the roof.

The church was incorporated on January 12, 1959 and the deed was transferred by Epiphany to Reformation.

After Pastor Ederma resigned (1961), the Rev. Robert Nelson became our second Pastor (1962). Shortly after his arrival, he encouraged the congregation to build a much-needed education building on the church property bordering Shore Road.

In January 1967 a ceremony for the new building was held, and the procession from church to construction site was impressive. Choirs, flag bearers, cross bearer, members and visiting clergy filed up Biscayne Avenue where ushers bore shovels to indicate that construction was officially underway.

Pastor Nelson and his wife Ruth left in 1968, and the Rev. Carl E. Joecks was installed our third pastor. One of his more successful ventures was the Neighborhood Youth Organization with some 100 boys and girls attending. The project was lauded in the local press as Reformation's "special concern for the youth of our community."

In 1982, through a grant from St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, the congregation sponsored a refugee family of six from Vietnam. In that same year Reformation accommodated St. Mark's and All Saints Episcopal Church as they awaited for their church building to be completed. In thankfulness for the use of our building St. Mark's and All Saints offered us one of their two pipe organs. Fred Doernbach constructed a new organ chamber and it was dedicated October 30, 1983.

In 1986 the Rev. Carl Joecks left Reformation. His 17 years of service to Reformation is remembered fondly by members of the congregation and the communities of Absecon and Galloway.

In 1987 the Rev. David W. Blitch became our fourth pastor. During his tenure the annual youth group trip to koinonia was instituted and still continues today. Also Lambs & Lions Preschool was established in 1988 and continues as an education ministry today. Laird Duran became the first member of Reformation to become an ordained Pastor in 1988. Janet Gasbarro became our second member to enter the ordained ministry in 1999. In 1993 Pastor Blitch and his wife Karen left Reformation.

In 1993 the Rev. G. Andrew Engelhart III was called as our fifth pastor. In 1998 after decades of discussion concerning a building program and various plans of renovation, the congregation voted to move the existing church building in line with the parish hall and construct a connecting hallway and room to be used for meetings and to serve as a sacristy. It was also decided that we should renovate the church to make it more conducive to worship and other programming. During the two years that the church was under construction the congregation worshipped in the parish hall. On this day, September 23, 2001 we rededicate our building for worship and our lives to the mission of the Gospel.

Pastor G. Andrew Englehart III
(Serving 1993 to 2004)

Pastor Engelhart was born in Camden, NJ in 1962 and grew up in the small south Jersey town of W estmont. During his teenage and young adult years he was actively involved at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Haddonfield.

Andy received his BA in English from Rutgers University Camden Campus in 1984. He entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia in 1985. The required year of internship was fulfilled at Grace, Somers Point. In 1989 Andy Received his Master of Divinity (M.div.) degree. He also earned a Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M) degree in May 1994 and is currently at the dissertation stage of the Doctor of Ministry program at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.

During his senior year of Seminary, Andy accepted a call as Assistant Pastor of St. Paul, Beachwood. He resigned this call to accept a call from Reformation, Absecon, in October 1993.

Andy married Amy Joy Solly in August of 1989. In 1999 they adopted their first child Daniel Joseph. A second child, Andrew Jacob was adopted in 2000.

Pastor Heather Stenberg, Current Pastor
(Ordained August 21, 2005)

Pastor Heather Stenberg was born and raised in rural Greenbush, Minnesota. She was baptized, confirmed, and supported in her faith growth at Bethel Lutheran Church in Greenbush.

Pastor Stenberg studied theology at The College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, MN, where she earned her B.A. Following her college graduation, she worked for the ELCA’s Division for Global Mission in Namibia, Southern Africa where she taught English at Oshigambo High School for 2 years. It was while working in Namibia that Pastor Stenberg’s call to ministry was affirmed by the global church, and she began plans to attend seminary.

Pastor Stenberg received her Master of Divinity degree from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California after a year-long internship at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Avon, Connecticut. She was ordained on August 21st, 2005 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey upon receiving a call to ministry from Reformation Lutheran Church in Galloway, New Jersey.

Pastor Heather Stenberg loves art, movies, and travel. She is thrilled to be starting her ministry in Southern New Jersey with the warmth of its people and the opportunities for spiritual growth that this region offers.