Remembering. . .
In a recent issue of Living Lutheran, the magazine of the ELCA, two persons with relationships to Saint Matthew Church were listed in the obituaries. Some of us remember them.
The Rev. Edward R. Dufresne died on February 24 in Penobscot, ME at the age of 77. Pastor Ed came to Saint Matthew as vicar/intern 49 years ago in September 1974 under the supervision of Pastor Herluf Jensen. He was a graduate of Holy Cross College and Yale Divinity School. He and his wife Sandra, a Methodist minister, had been leading a pastoral counseling and consulting team and he had just had a book on marriage published. In June 1975 he was called to be our associate pastor. Their first child was born while they were here. After leaving Saint Matthew in 1978 he taught and directed internships and clinical pastoral education at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. Later he was pastor of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, PA and St. Andrew in Easton, PA; spiritual director at Good Shepherd Rehab Hospital in Mohnton, PA; interim at ELCA Northeastern PA Synod; and executive director of the Inter-Church Council of New Bedford, MA.
The Rev. Deborah M. Wagner was the wife of the Rev. Dr. Walter Wagner and they and their son were members of Saint Matthew for several years while he was on the faculty at the Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia and lived in Moorestown. For a few months he served as our interim pastor after the departure of Pastor Dufresne before the calling of Pastor Carl Uehling. After leaving Saint Matthew when Dr. Wagner became a professor at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA, Deborah finished her seminary education and was ordained. Her calls included Director of Christian Education at Messiah Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, PA and Jerusalem Lutheran in Allentown. She died in Bethlehem on March 11 at age 86.
In addition to the two listed above, we remember James Merrill and Joyce Hagen who passed during the summer. Both were long time active members of our congregation and both sang in the Adult Choir for many years. Services for each were held at Saint Matthew and they are interred in our Garden of Remembrance.
Barry and Celia Auchenbach and their daughters, Kelli and Kari, were active members of Saint Matthew for many years. Barry passed away peacefully on September 9 at his home in Lewes, DE, surrounded by his family. He had suffered severe back pain for a number of years as a result of his service in Viet Nam and was diagnosed with Covid a few days before his death. His wife Cee was our office secretary for 7 years and both daughters were confirmed here.
We are thankful for these people who have been a blessing in our congregation. May they rest in peace.
Rozella Bower