The Messenger

The date was September 1, 2020. The Covid pandemic was raging; people were dying; everyone was wearing a mask; meetings and worship services could not meet in person, and everyone was afraid of getting sick. However, the congregation of Saint Matthew Church in Moorestown had reason to be happy: we were getting a new pastor after being without one for 19 months. We welcomed The Rev. Dr. Eric J. Trozzo to lead us through the pandemic and beyond. We worshiped by Zoom and later by YouTube, and obviously it was extremely difficult for him to meet people and get to know the congregation.

Our new pastor persisted, however, as in-person worship resumed; meetings and activities could be scheduled; and he was able to visit members in their homes. He encouraged members and visitors to “Live the Love,” and it became clear that he wanted Saint Matthew Church to become a vibrant congregation again.

Now, after almost six years, Pastor Eric is leaving, and some of us wonder why. Recently I met with him to get some answers to our questions. He feels strongly that God is a constant guide in his life. He believes that God called him to this congregation to keep things going after the pandemic. He feels that God is now calling him to ministry through teaching in the 100-year-old Australian Lutheran College (ALC), which includes a seminary and programs training school teachers and pastoral counselors. He will be Coordinator of the area of Systematic Theology and Church History (comparable to a Department Chair). He explained that Systematic Theology is “taking doctrines of the church and explaining them in a way that is logically coherent. Keeping all doctrines in mind, seek how they relate to each other.” Church History involves Lutheran theology, particularly the Reformation and Lutheran Confessions.

Prior to his pastorate here, he was an ELCA-sponsored missionary to Malaysia, teaching in an ecumenical seminary. The United States and Australia have had a partnership to establish a center for studying Lutheran theology within the seminary to benefit the Lutheran churches in Malaysia. He did some online teaching for ALC and has continued mentoring some doctoral candidates since returning to this country. You may remember that he went to Australia for a short time last year to teach a course in the seminary. The campus was sold a year or so ago, and the only building there is a library. All classes are online for the 50 students in the seminary program. Pastor will write materials and provide online links to resources for students to gather materials themselves rather than listening to a professor. He will lecture for 15 minutes per course during the week, along with leading online group exercises. He will begin his new calling in July and can essentially teach from anywhere, since classes are via Zoom. He was known as an Honorary Research Associate until this year, when he became a Research Fellow (comparable to a full professor).