Pictured are Warren VanDewark and his wife, Dianne. VanDewark is set to retire from preaching at Edwards Chapel in Clymer. Submitted photo

CLYMER — Edwards Chapel pastor, Warren VanDewark is officially moving away from his pastoral duties and going back to sitting as a part of the congregation after almost 11 years of service to the church.

Located at 9227 Cherry Hill Road, VanDewark has been the pastor of Edwards Chapel since July 2014. Chairman of the church’s administrative board, Tiffany Babcock, said he came to the decision that it was time to listen instead of preach.

“He has reached the age where he wants to enjoy spending time with the congregation by sitting with them instead of preaching to them,” Babcock said. “He has been a wonderful pastor. He is so down to Earth and loves interacting with the children of the church.”

Other members of the Edwards Chapel congregation had nothing but praise for their outgoing pastor. Stories included how he was always willing to sit and talk, or visit people in the hospital along with his sense of humor, such as when he would interact with Mark and Karen Peters’ grandson.

“Some of our fond memories of Pastor Warren come from our then, energetic and unpredictable toddler grandson,” they said. “Christopher would occasionally escape from our back row pew and ‘beat feet’ to the front of the sanctuary during worship service, usually in noisy fashion. While this would throw most people through a loop, our pastor was able to keep his composure and put some humor into the situation with his fun sense of humor. He went with the flow as it was, never leaving us feeling embarrassed.”

For others, VanDewark has always been a welcoming presence, helping them get through the harder times of life.

“We are especially fond of him because we came into the community very different from any of the other believers around us,” Amy Brookover said. “We were very tentative about coming to church knowing we were different and he was not only welcoming, he wanted to learn more about our holy days and observances, and was fully supportive about us sharing that with the church. We came out of a situation of heartache and the dissolution of a church group so being welcomed and included was a really big deal. Pastor Warren spearheaded that inclusion for us.”

And still for others memories include lots of laughs and visits with their pastor, who is also known for always being accepting of people no matter the circumstances.

“It has been very beneficial for me to have him as a pastor,” Babcock said. “I became a born again Christian while going to Edwards Chapel and Pastor Warren baptized me and my three kids. He has always been warm and accepting, with an amazing amount of guidance and support.”

Following VanDewark’s retirement, Babcock said Edwards Chapel is in search of a new pastor to “fill some very large shoes”, and an individual who will love the church and congregation while “sharing the Bible in a loving way”.

While VanDewark is just now retiring from Edwards Chapel, Babcock noted that he retired from the United Methodist Church a while ago. She added that the church has been lucky to have him.

“We have been truly blessed and I hope that he enjoys joining the congregation as much as he has pastoring us,” Babcock said.