SOMERS POINT — The congregation of Grace Lutheran Church enjoyed a celebration on Sunday, Sept. 12, as the Rev. Althea Albright was officially installed as the new pastor. Albright came to Grace Lutheran nearly a year ago, but like so many events, the installation by the bishop in front of the congregation was delayed due to COVID-19.
The Sunday morning regular 10:15 a.m. service was highlighted with Albright’s installation. Bishop Tracie Bartholomew of the New Jersey Synod led the installation. For the congregation as well as Bishop Bartholomew, being together at Grace Lutheran is a special time. While the bishop now lives in Lawrenceville, and travels to the Lutheran congregations statewide, she is originally from Somers Point, and Grace Lutheran is her home church and where her parents are still members.
“This is a very special day for me because I am here to welcome Pastor Althea to this wonderful community and this is where my spiritual journey began so I also get to see classmates from high school, former teachers, it really is very special,” said the bishop.
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The bishop gave a homily dedicated to expectations and reality, saying “What we expect is not always the reality. Here we have a new relationship between the pastor and the people of Grace Lutheran. Rev. Althea is called to lead and walk with you in the community. Maybe how we do things in the future may very different than things were done in the past and the reality may be an adventure unlike you expected. This is a day to celebrate walking a new path.”
Albright takes the place of Rev. Jeffery Rickards who retired in 2020 after 34 years as pastor. Originally from Reading, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of the Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia in Mount Airy, Albright, 36, brings a rich and diverse background to her new position.
She brings a background that is both urban and suburban in social work, foster care and special education. Albright said she was the director of the Greater Burks County Food Bank, she also worked with youth in residential care that are in need of therapeutic care. “I have a passion to serve and putting faith into action,” said Albright.
“I would like to get into the community more and meet our local guidance counselors and social workers in our schools,” added Albright. “I would like to help our youth and our teens grow in their faith together, and I would like to reach out to people who may not be within the church walls. We have a wonderful food pantry here at Grace, and I look forward to that continuing and helping our neighbors here in our community.”
Mary Goodman, one of the six-member committee who helped select Albright said, they had interviewed others and said, “We met Althea and we just fell in love with her. She is a good fit for our congregation. It is not easy to come into a church after someone has been here for 35 years, but she has been just delightful to work with since arriving. We are very excited about her installation.”
Albright is excited about the future and appreciative of the past year.
“The congregation has been so welcoming to me. The people have open hearts and open minds and you do not find that everywhere. I am very happy to be a part of Grace Lutheran,” she said.
Grace Lutheran is located at 11 E. Dawes Ave. in Somers Point. Services are Sunday at 8 a.m. without music and the main celebration with the choir and organ at 10:15 a.m. For more information visit www.gracelutheranspnj.comcastbiz.net or call 609-927-3082.