McVEYTOWN - Husband and wife team the Revs. Craig and Kate Gandy will step into new roles Sunday as the pastors of the Spring Run Church of the Brethren.
They will be installed at the Ferguson Valley church during the worship service at 9:45 a.m. with Middle Pennsylvania District Minister the Rev. David Steele.
With the couple come their two children Hope, age 6, and CJ, 15 months, and a desire to help the congregation build their faith.
"Spiritual growth is first and foremost," Kate Gandy said. "We want to help (the congregation) flesh out their understanding of God's vision for them ..."
Gandy said she and her husband feel called to be supporters rather than leaders. The congregation should be lead by Jesus Christ, she said.
The couple will share preaching and pastoral care duties. Craig also teaches adults at the Brethren Academy, while Kate said she has more experience with children and youth.
The couple moved to Pennsylvania from Indiana after the Spring Run members voted to call the Gandys to full-time ministry in June.
Kate grew up in California and her husband in Michigan. They met at the Bethany Theological Seminary, where they graduated at separate times with Masters of Divinity.
Craig, after a brief stint in law enforcement, followed God's call to the ministry, returning to school and graduating from Manchester College with a Bachelor of Science in religion. He then enrolled at Bethany Theological Seminary, first completing his master's degree and then teaching Bible and theology courses for the Brethren Academy and the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center.
While her husband was working on his master's degree, Kate served in the seminary admissions office and worked as an assistant pastor at the Richmond Church of the Brethren.
Her ministry experience also includes working with the Brethren Volunteer Services at On Earth Peace in Maryland.
Later, she also served as an associate pastor at First Church of the Brethren in Roaring Spring, Pa., and a youth/young adult associate pastor at a church in Mexico, Ind.
He served an interim youth pastorate at Memorial Church of the Brethren in Martinsburg, Pa., and as an interim pastor at the Mexico Church of the Brethren. He returned to Bethany to complete his Master of Divinity in May 2011.
The Gandys will lead services at the Spring Run Church of the Brethren weekly at 9:45 a.m. Sundays at the church in Ferguson Valley.
