No ordinary ordination

By REBECCA SLOAN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
KINSMAN -- For the first time in its 201-year history, an ordination will take place at the Kinsman Presbyterian Church.
The Rev. Larry A. Myers, who has served as a temporary pastor at the church since August 2003, will be ordained and officially installed as the church's permanent minister at 4 p.m. Sunday.
"The church has had many pastors in its long history, but all of them were already ordained when they were appointed here," said longtime church member Grace Rieth of Kinsman. "This will be our first official ordination."
A big turnout is expected for the ceremony and following luncheon. Guests will include members of the Eastminster Presbytery and several pastors from other churches.
Rieth said the congregation is delighted to receive the Rev. Mr. Myers.
"He has already made a difference here," Rieth said. "I have been a member of the church since 1935, and I have seen a lot of pastors come and go. I like Pastor Larry because he has had other occupations and lived in the outside world and knows what goes on in the outside world. He is very easy to talk to and very approachable -- not at all stuffy."
Mr. Myers, 53, took the long road to the seminary.
Was a chemist
Before enrolling in Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 2000, Mr. Myers was in the Army and Air Force and worked as a chemist for many years for Pennzoil and Quaker State in Emlenton, Pa.
When he lost his job as a chemist, he decided it was time to take the plunge and answer God's call.
"I had been involved with the church for many years and had thought about becoming a pastor for a long time," Mr. Myers said. "Being a pastor isn't something you necessarily want to do as much as it's something you are called to do. It was an ongoing thing between me and God, and I finally said 'yes.'"
Although he has been in town for less than a year, Mr. Myers has already made a positive mark on the church and community.
"I believe in bringing the church and the community together. The church should reach into the community and be a strong presence," Mr. Myers said.
Group activities
To help achieve this goal, Mr. Myers has helped orchestrate many new group activities.
"We have a men's cooking class, ballroom dancing classes that will start up again in the fall, parenting classes, spirituality classes, a women's craft group, and we are talking about starting a fly fishing group and a women's quilting group. We also have a touring group that will be taking a trip to Alaska this summer," Mr. Myers said.
Mr. Myers stressed that both members and nonmembers are welcome to get involved in activities.
"Getting new members is nice, of course, but that isn't our primary goal. We want to reach out to people in a nonthreatening way and become instrumental in the community and serve the community. Sometimes a church can speak a certain language and have a certain culture that can turn people away. We have a church family and we want to have a community family, too. Everyone is welcome whether they are members of another church or are just looking to connect with other people," Mr. Myers said.
Mr. Myers also places great importance on mission work and calls himself and his congregation "mission minded."
"We recently returned from a trip to Ethiopia, and I have also been to Kenya," Mr. Myers said.
Raves from congregation
Members of the congregation feel excited about Mr. Myers' vision.
"His sermons keep you hanging on," said Peggy Jones of Kinsman, who has been a church member for 50 years.
Another church member, Pat Mathews, also of Kinsman, said, "I was in the committee that first interviewed Pastor Larry. I was excited about him because he is fresh out of the seminary and has enthusiasm and the ability to draw in younger members, and yet he is also in his 50's and has experienced life."
Mr. Myers is married and has three grown sons.
His wife of 31 years, Debbie, is a special education teacher and has been appointed the church's choir director.
"My wife is still maintaining our home in Pennsylvania throughout the week and staying here in Kinsman on the weekends. She is hoping to find a job here soon so we can end this transition phase," he said.
One part of the transition that has not been uncomfortable for Mr. Myers has been settling into rural Kinsman.
"I'm a country boy," he said. "I wanted a church in a small community."