We lost our beloved pastor on December 1, 2022, after an extensive illness.
Here is some info about Barry and why we loved him so:
Barry and his family have been with the Wyalusing Presbyterian Church since 1996. Since then, the Ballard's have made Wyalusing their home. Barry has worked with churches throughout his life in various positions. He graduated from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 1990, and has since worked in professional ministry. He achieved his Doctor of Ministry in 2011 through Gordon-Conwell.
Barry's vision for ministry comes from Ephesians 4:11-13, which says it is the job of pastors and teachers "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of God." Barry believes that God specifically called him to Wyalusing to bring people to Jesus in a personal way, so that they could learn to walk with him every day, and do everything to his glory. Barry also believes that the Church is God's agent of transformation in the community, and each member has a ministry and a mission that God gives them to make that transformation happen.
Barry is married to Karen Ballard. Karen is the pastor of nearby Rome Presbyterian Church. They have two grown children: Kirstyn and Wesley. The Ballard's have taken part in community events from sports to Boy Scouts to school music programs, and even community plays. Barry and Karen strive to be a redemptive presence in the community in order to transform Wyalusing for Christ.
Pastor Brenda Reibson came to WPC in August of 2022 as a substitute pastor. She remains with us and fills our pulpit almost weekly, delivering excellent sermons and supporting our congregation in our time of loss and grief.
We are thankful and blessed for Pastor Brenda's service to WPC.
Lynn Petlock is the Clerk of Session. Some say Lynn is the Clerk Extarordinaire! As chief officer at WPC, nothing gets past her watchful eye.
If you have any concerns please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Lynn.
Rachel Sznaider is our new Administrative Assistant extraordinaire. Rachel is a lifelong member of WPC and shares her many talents with us. She brings extensive administrative skills to her new position and is a whiz with words! As the administrative assistant, Rachel will publish the weekly newsletter, "Weekly Love," design the weekly bulletins, and help prepare for the worship services, among many other tasks. Rachel is the go-to person in the church. You can find her in the office from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Tues, Weds-Thurs).
We are pleased to welcome Dave Hindman as our new bookkeeper. Dave brings lots of experience to our books, and we are blessed to have him on our staff.
Books, periodicals, videos and more: all of this is under Shannon's diligent care. She is the go-to tech wizard for many of our audio-visual needs. Shannon can be reached by leaving her a message in the librarians mailbox.
Marilyn has served in many positions during her lifetime at Wyalusing Presbyterian Church. She is truly a faithful servant and is always helping others. Marilyn is always using her gifts and talents for WPC. Marilyn takes on this task energetically, and with much gratitude we thank her. Deb Minturn is assisting Marilyn.
Lorna serves with much care as another of WPC's financial secretaries. Lorna provides a valuable safeguard for financial record keeping. Lorna has been a valuable addition to our staff.
John Petlock is the Groundskeeper for WPC. John meticulously maintains our landscape and makes our church grounds beautiful season after season. John is a master of many talents. You name it, John can fix it. John's great care for the church, its properties, accessibility, and its mission are the stuff of legend. John is a great steward of WPC.
