Writing the Pastor’s Pen each month has most of the time been a challenging exercise for me. Coming up with a topic each month is not the easiest task unless it is a holiday or a issue. That means that usually Allyson gets my article at the last possible moment.

This month’s article is challenging to write for different reasons. Likely, most of you have heard the news that I shared with the Leadership Team at our meeting on May 27. I shared the same news in Sunday’s worship services on June 1. For some of you, this may be the first time you are hearing about this. I have announced my retirement effective on May 31, 2026. I have served as a pastor for the Church of the Brethren for 34 years.

The first few years I served part-time as the Pastor of Nurture at Conestoga Church of the Brethren and attended classes to earn a degree and get my training to be a Pastor. Upon completion, I was ordained. While I was Serving at Conestoga and getting my education, Don and I were running our own custodial business and raising two sons. It was a challenging time trying to balance all of these responsibilities. I was blessed to have a colleague, Del Keeney, who mentored me. He included me in many pastoral responsibilities like preaching monthly, Love Feasts, visitations, anointings, funerals. This was in addition to my role as youth pastor and pastor of nurture. That meant, I usually put in more than my required 20 hours; and the church eventually adjusted my hours accordingly.

When I finished my education, I was called to serve as the fulltime Minister of Christian Nurture, where I worked along side of Scott Duffey. Scott was raised in the HCOB church. Scott also allowed me to serve in a variety of pastoral roles. When Scott left, I continued serving WCOB along side of Glenn McCrickard, and I continued with the same responsibilities.

When my time at WCOB came to an end, I was called to serve as the Chaplain for Fahrney Keedy. During that time, I did a lot of soul searching. I realize now as I look back on those years, God was preparing me to be on my own as your pastor at HCOB. I can see God’s hand clearly in my call to serve as your pastor. I have been blessed more than you can imagine.

But now it is time to begin the next adventure of my life. Don and I plan to remain in Hagerstown and continue to be members at HCOB. However, we will need to take a year off from worshipping with you–in person. When we do begin worshipping with you again, I will be keeping my distance from serving on ministry teams and other roles that require more oversight by your new pastor.

My announcement comes a year in advance of my retirement, but I wanted to give the congregation ample time to find, or to at least, begin the process of finding a new pastor, or an interim pastor before my retirement. The process will take some timeas it should, so that you can discern God’s call for a good match for a new pastor. Leadership Chairperson, Julie Herman and Vice Chairperson, J, ohn Miller have led HCOB through the process of finding a new pastor before; and I have every confidence in them that they will do an excellent job again.

Many of you have asked about Don’s future plans. He has also decided to retire from his role as “Interior Aesthetics Technician”. I know he will be missed serving in that role also.
I admit this was not as easy of a decision as one might think. Being your pastor is something that I have enjoyed immensely. You are an awesome congregation. At the same time, I am looking forward to spending more time with Don and our family, and enjoying the free time to do hobbies I don’t get to do much of now, and to see more of this beautiful country. As I said at our last congregational business meeting, any pastor would be blessed to serve you. I am praying for the next person who will serve as Pastor at HCOB. I hope you will begin praying with me. In the meantime, I look forward to continuing to serve as your pastor.

Blessings, Pastor Twyla

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)

Sometimes, the unexpected happens. For example, the 2025 Easter weekend is one that I won’t forget because of unexpected things that happened. After feeling perfectly okay on the Maundy Thursday, I very suddenly felt ill at the end of Love Feast and could not finish the service. (Thank you Pastor Paul Mundey for finishing the service.) By Friday morning, I was fine.

The Saturday evening storm brought down huge tree limbs from our neighbor’s tree onto our shed. The power went off making it impossible to cook our family’s Easter dinner. With disappointment, the decision was made that our family would not make the trip to our place for dinner, and we decided to have it at another date. Our power was out for a few days, as it was for some of you. The church did not have power for the Easter Early Service and part of Sunday School. Fortunately, it came back on for the Late Service.

A pastor comes to accept that unexpected things happen that requires a change in their schedule or plans…especially before or soon after a vacation. It just happens…it is the nature of life. With all of this on my mind at this very moment, I turn to a Pastor’s Pen to share with you that I wrote several years ago at the beginning of Covid. It is a relevant reminder for us for whenever the unexpected arises in our lives. This is what I wrote then:

It’s a curious thing how in just a matter of moments, life events can shift quickly and take us an unexpected direction. Our decisions may surprise us with unforeseen twists and turns. Events occurring around us may startle us and demand unplanned actions, taking us down roads in life that are filled with sharp turns and bumpy terrain. Tragedies like a large boulder may drop in our life path, paralyzing us emotionally, making life difficult to manage even the simplest of tasks.

The unexpected may require us to make major adjustments in how we live. For example, the loss of loved ones near and dear to us inflicts our emotional and physical selves with grief and emptiness, forcing us to maneuver through daily living in radically new ways. Unexpected illness befalls some people necessitating treatments and lifestyle changes, shaking up what has been common and comfortable in one’s life. Even the willingly made decision to move, as Don and I did when we moved to Hagerstown, produces unexpected anxiety, stress and frustration to navigate each day.

All of us have or will at some point in time experience one or all of these kinds of shifts in life or something similar to these. Uncertainty, challenges and heartbreak are all a part of life. God never promised us that our lives would somehow avoid these things; even if we are faithful. However, Jesus teaches us through his words and through his witness of dealing with his own vulnerability with hardships, that we can persevere, rise above and even conquer the grip of life’s unexpected and unwelcome occurrences hold on us.

Jesus did this by turning his focus away from distractions and worries infringing on his emotional self, to caring for and serving the needs of others. Jesus won the battle by forgiving perpetrators threatening his integrity and life. Jesus surrounded himself with a community of friends also journeying on the twisty-turning road of faithfulness to God. Jesus worshiped God daily. Jesus never denied his need for God…turning to God in prayer; and even in his darkest hour, crying out with all honesty, his feelings of abandonment by God.

We too can persevere and overcome the very things that life throws at us when we least expect or want it by following Jesus’ example of serving others, forgiving our enemies, actively participating in a community of believers like our church family at HCOB, worshiping God even when we do not feel like it, praying to God with all honesty about our burdens and with openness to God’s intervention according to his will in our lives.

And, don’t forget, Jesus’ promise that while facing our adversities, we are never alone. Like him, hold on to the strong hand of God. Jesus assures and promises us that the unexpected and unwanted challenges that arise in our lives do not have the last word in determining the outcome of our journey in life; at least not when we have the power of God on our side.

Blessings and Peace to you,

Pastor Twyla

What is your favorite Jesus story? There are so many to chose from in the Bible. I find myself drawn to the story of the Woman at the Well and the Resurrection story.

During the season of Lent, we have been gathering on Wednesday evenings for a time of reflection. Each week someone from the congregation shares their personal faith testimony. We are mesmerized and inspired by their stories. They include great adventures, miracles, struggles, insecurity, doubts, and tragedy. All of us have a faith story. Every story is different. As we come to listen, we are anxious to hear what each person shares.

I wonder, is the Jesus story just as satisfying–mesmerizing–and inspiring to us? Or have we heard it so often that we have become desensitized to it? As we read or hear the Jesus stories again and again, do we tune into the Word and allow ourselves to hear it as if for the first time? Or do we zone-out…allowing our subconscious to say something like, “I know this story because I have heard it often?” Interestingly, I have heard many Sunday School teachers and Preachers say that one thing they like about teaching and preaching is that the preparation they do reveals new findings to them, even in the texts that are very familiar to them. This is a testimony to the power and infinite wisdom of the scriptures.

This is as it should be for everyone. Approaching the Jesus story with an open invitation to God to show us something new…revealing to us something missing in our walk of faith…reminding us of a valuable word to awaken and inspire us…and bring new life to the Jesus story. We connect with Jesus and give him a chance to be our Brother…our Friend and Guide…our Savior.

I am finding as I once again embark on a new adventure of reading the Bible in a translation I have not read before, that I am eager for the Spirit to show me new details that I overlooked all the other times I read the scriptures. Starting with Genesis, where Jesus was present with God (John 1), I am discovering new or forgotten gems of the Jesus story. I am grateful not only for the new knowledge I am acquiring; but I am excited about the intimate spiritual connection with Jesus growing deeper in me.

As the Lenten season comes to a close this month, and we move into Holy Week, we will hear the stories of Jesus’ last days before his crucifixion. We will also have the opportunity to remember him and the events of that week as we participate in Love Feast and in worship on Good Friday. And, of course, we will come to worship together to remember the most holy of all days…the Resurrection of our Savior on Easter morning. This is the glorious culmination of the Jesus story. Of all the stories, this is the one that should connect most with us because it involves us. With a deep love that we cannot possibly comprehend, God sent His only Son to die for us and save us from sin. He sent Jesus to conquer the grave and testify for us that life is everlasting in the glorious presence of God.

The story of Jesus really is more than a story about him. It’s more than interesting historical details or a great novel. In this Holy season, this should become clear to us. The Jesus story encompasses our story, too. It invites us into a faithful, trusting, obedient relationship with Jesus that will make a difference in our lives in this lifetime and for the lifetime to come.
Christ is risen! His death and resurrection are more than a good story. It has everything to do with life…our lives. Let us celebrate…not a story…but a Living Loving Savior we know. Let Jesus arise and live anew in your hearts.

Have a blessed Easter!
Pastor Twyla