Meet the Pastor and Deacon

Rev. Bernard R. Kelly, Deacon Karen B. Kelly: Best Friends, Life-partners, and Colleagues

Pastor Bernie Kelly and Deacon Karen Kelly attended Wissahickon High School in Ambler, Pa where they met and became high school sweethearts. Karen is a cradle Lutheran and attended St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Center Square, PA. Bernie had no religious affiliation until he started attending St. John with Karen. (It was a date their parents couldn’t forbid!). Karen attended Germantown Hospital School of Nursing and Gwynedd-Mercy College and Bernie attended Drexel University. After graduating, Karen began working as an R.N. and Bernie began working as an accountant. Bernie and Karen were married at St John and they eventually became the sextons at that church when they were expecting their son, Josh. Their intent was to stay there while Josh was a baby and then move on.

During their time serving as sextons (which turned into 13 years!), they became more involved in the church and Bernie eventually felt a call to become a pastor. He attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia (LTSP) and earned his Master of Divinity. He was called to serve St. John Lutheran Church, Richlandtown, PA in 1997. Pr. Kelly served St. John for ten years before being called as pastor to Family of God Lutheran Church, Buckingham, PA in 2007. He was then called to Messiah Lutheran Church, outside of Sea Isle City, NJ in 2012.

While Karen continued working as an R.N., she too sensed her own call to seminary. While not feeling called to become a pastor, Karen pursued a call to become a Diaconal Minister, a roster of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at that time whose call was to take the proclamation of the Gospel from the church out into the world and bring the needs of the world back to the church. Karen also attended LTSP and earned her Master of Arts in Religion in 2008. She was consecrated as a Diaconal Minister of the ELCA and served as a hospice chaplain for several different hospices. In 2016, the ELCA united 3 different rosters in the Church (Diaconal Ministers, Deaconesses and Associates in Ministry) and they became known as Deacons and are considered Ministers of Word and Service. Pastors are Ministers of Word and Sacrament.

Both Pastor and Deacon Kelly have a passion for bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are broken, hurting, or desiring to grow in their relationship with Jesus. They love spending time with family, especially their son, Josh, daughter-in-law Beth, and their granddaughters Maddie and Izzy. They also love spending time with friends and family at the beach, especially Ocean City, NJ. They enjoy canoeing/kayaking, reading, music, movies, and going to the theater. Pastor and Deacon Kelly live in Phillipsburg with their dog, Grace and their cat, George.

Judy Garrison, Parish Administrator

Judy is a member of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church and remembers the church when it was on South Main Street. Except for a few years living out of the Phillipsburg area she has been a member and was baptized here at Grace.

Judy graduated from Phillipsburg High School and studied at Warren County Technical School before getting married and moving to USMC Base, Quantico, VA where she worked on base at various positions. She also attended Northampton County Community College, Warren County Community College and many in house training at Guardian Ins. Co.

Returning home to the Phillipsburg area Judy worked at Selective Risk Insurance Company in Morristown, NJ as Lead Secretary in the Medical Liability Department and when that company moved further north joined Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company in Bethlehem, PA in the claim’s unit. Taking a chance, she applied for the position of Secretary for one of the Second Vice Presidents at Guardian Insurance Company in the Bethlehem, PA office and was promoted to Project Assistant to the Second Vice President and 3 Managers in her Department.

Feeling something was missing Judy joined the Phillipsburg EMS where she met her husband, Stanley Garrison, who has been a member since 1976. EMS, Underwater Recovery and various training were part of her time with the EMS. Together they have one son, Michael who lives in the Myrtle Beach, SC area and a daughter Karen, who lives in the Mechanicsburg, PA area along with 2 granddaughters, Hailey and Heather. They have a rescued dog, Jack and a rescued cat, Tigger.

Stan and Judy are active members of the National Exchange Club and the Bangor, PA Exchange Club, a service to America organization whose main project is child abuse prevention. Both are past active members of the Local American Legion Post. Judy is a member of the church Choir and Music & Worship Committee. Hiking, swimming, reading, and being outdoors are downtimes for Stan and Judy along with Jack.

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Alberto Gancitano, Director of Music

Sam Michalski, Sexton

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