Bethany Presbyterian Church welcomes Rev. Katie Hopper as full-time pastor

"God blesses us when we do for others; it's a double blessing always," the Rev. Katie Kelly Hopper said, having just marked her 40th year since ordination and being the newly installed pastor at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Wayne County.

The sun drenched the church and its grounds high on the Bethany hill, as she reflected on her calling and the congregation's service to the community. Their historic New England-style white clapboard church with its towering spire was started in 1823 predating the founding of Honesdale, when little Bethany was still the county seat .

Hopper was hired on March 1 after a two-year search for a full-time pastor, succeeding the Rev. William Blackie. Hopper had been serving nine and a half years at a Presbyterian church in Philipsburg, near State College. She said it was time to move on and was longing for a smaller church like where she began in her pastorate. She found that Bethany was searching for candidates and applied. A lot of prayer went into it on both sides, she affirmed.

Her installation at a special service on June 16 coincided with the anniversary of her ordination on June 16, 1984. A reception was held afterward in the David Wilder House next door.

Among her initiatives at Bethany is the starting of a Stephen Ministry, which identifies and equips willing laypeople to serve the people under her supervision, reaching out to others in time of need. Hopper, who has been trained and licensed in this ministry, said it is a passion of hers. While the lay ministers bless others, they find a blessing in return, she said. They have several in their church interested, and training is coming, she added.

"They are so loving and very welcoming," she said of the Bethany congregation. She said they specialize in reaching older adults. A group from the church regularly visits Bethany Village Senior Living Community to sing, and recently has started visits to Ellen Memorial Health Care Center. Hopper said they plan to have a special summer Bible school in August at Bethany Village, in the spirit of the Vacation Bible School tradition for kids, but in this case, it will be for adults.

"Ministry is fun," she exclaimed. "You go thinking you'll make them feel better, but you go away feeling better."

Hopper said she is theologically conservative but is open to all and keeps politics out of it. She said, "They will never know how I vote," noting anyone may need pastoral care, no matter their differences.

Hopper is a trained soprano and enjoys singing in community choruses and musicals when time allows. She said she is eager to serve the community on boards and ministries. Among her interests are swimming, leisure reading, decorating her home, watching old movies and shopping. She is married to the Rev. Jimmy Hopper, a retired Presbyterian minister. They have two grown children, a daughter in Scranton and a son in Clearwater, Florida.

Hopper said she was 16 when she started college and was 23 when she was ordained. She graduated from Louisiana State University in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts in history and English. She then graduated from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity in 1984 and from McCormick Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry in 1995. She has served as a pastor at churches in Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, Illinois, Iowa and Pennsylvania.

Youth and children’s ministries, devotional writing, short-term crisis counseling, pastoral care with all ages, pastoral visitation and home Communions, and baptisms are also among her favorite vocational activities.

Bethany Presbyterian Church has invited all to meet Hopper at the church on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Communion is served on the first Sunday of each month.

"I make sure my folks know when they leave every Sunday that they've been hugged by God," Hopper said.

Visit bethanypresbychurch.com or call 570-253-6316 for more information.

Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Bethany Presbyterian Church welcomes Rev. Katie Hopper as full-time pastor