Pastor Kenneth Gelzhiser St. Mark’s United Methodist Church

People in Places:

Pastor Kenneth Gelzhiser St. Mark’s United Methodist Church

Written by Craig Whitney

St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Broomall, PA

St. Mark’s United Methodist Church spreads the word of God while also providing food, shelter, and education to those in need around the community. Through many acts of charity and philanthropic group activities, Pastor Ken Gelzhiser and St. Mark’s have been able to give back to the neighborhood while also pulling it closer together.

Pastor Ken first got his inspiration to pursue this line of work as a student in college. He was years separated from his faith, having spent less time at church with each year. His father met with him one night and told him something that has stuck with him ever since.

Rear left: Maria Kollar, Certified Lay Minister, Food Pantry Director, Rear right: Mrs. Linda Gelzhiser: Fellowship and Outreach Front left: Rev. Ula Christopher, Deacon, and Front Right is Pastor Ken.

“What I’m telling you tonight won’t make sense, but in time it will.” His father said “I just wanted to share with you, that I think God is going to call you to serve him.”

This was especially resonant with Pastor Ken, as his father was not very religious at the time. Though always insisting he and his mother attend church regularly, Pastor Ken’s father had not been to church in many years.

Several weeks after this exchange, Pastor Ken was visited by his mother, who was there to tell him that his father had passed away of a sudden heart attack. The news devastated him, and the next several months were a blur of depression and social regression.

That holiday season, he was fortunate enough to come to a candlelit Christmas service to hear a young pastor’s sermon. This young pastor spoke about the healing power of Jesus, and for the first time in his life Pastor Ken was genuinely and completely overwhelmed by the word of God.

“I realized I was on a different road now, the depression I had was lifted,” Pastor Ken explained. “It suddenly dawned on me that my Earthly father was sending me to my Heavenly father.”

After the seminary, he became a pastor at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Broomall, a position that has provided pride and satisfaction for Pastor Ken for many years. He delivers sermons and leads services at the church, and organizes community events that give back to the people of Marple in many ways.

Some of the community programs Pastor Ken enjoys leading are PB&J night, where people come together to make as many sandwiches as possible for people in need. Another program, Children of the Son, provides pre-school education and day care for children six weeks and above whose parents need to return to work. There is also a math and English after-school tutoring program on Wednesday afternoons.

Pastor Ken doesn’t work at St. Mark’s alone, and owes much of the success of the organization to the people he works with. Maria Kollar is a certified lay minister at the church and the director of the food center. Ula Christopher is an ordained deacon and helps Pastor Ken with many of the duties around the church.

“I really like the people. I always wanted to live in a town with community spirit. Everyone is very friendly, hardworking, they like their town and take pride in their community,” Pastor Ken beamed with pride.

Everyone at Marple Friends & Neighbors thanks Pastor Ken Gelzhiser for his many years of charity and generosity to the people of Marple. His decision to lead this holy and charitable life after, and because of, his father’s sudden passing shows how even the darkest circumstances can sometimes draw out the brightest light. M