Published Saturday, March 15, 2003
Herald Staff Writer
When John A. Frey and his wife Florence lost their first-born child, Marie, at age 5 to a rare blood disorder, they were grief- stricken. But instead of turning their backs on God, he decided to study for the ministry and, with the support of his wife, eventually became the Rev. John A. Frey.
That was more than 40 years ago. At the end of this month, the pastor will be retiring after more than 27 years at Sharon Baptist Church, 1531 George St. Ext.
"About six to eight months after (her death), I felt that the Lord was calling me," the pastor said. "Because of my faith, I had the proper perspective. And it's unbelievable the amount of people we've been able to help who've lost their little children, because they know we know where they're coming from."
Rev. Frey was 29 when he answered that calling, giving up a position he'd held for more than 13 years with a power plant in the Lancaster, Pa., area.
During and after attending Baptist Bible College in Clark Summit near Scranton, he spent five years serving as the minister at a Baptist church in Tarrytown, Pa.
Then in December 1975, he answered another call, this time from Sharon Baptist Church.
Church membership numbers between 150-200, he said. And during his time here, he has seen Sharon Christian Academy, the church's school, grow from offering pre-kindergarten through second grade classes to a pre-kindergarten through high school curriculum, with at least 75 students.
His children, who also attended Sharon Christian Academy, have followed in their father's footsteps and are all involved in ministry.
Son Andy, 39, is head pastor at a church in Anchorage, Alaska; son Matt is an associate pastor at a church in Crawfordsville, Ind.; and daughter Grace is married to a youth pastor in Kalamazoo, Mich.
"Its really an asset to my ministry," he said. "You have to live what you preach and, if you don't, you really can't minister. I really thank the Lord for my kids and my grandchildren."
Spending more time with them is part of the reason he decided to retire now.
"Well, I'm 67 and still have perfect health and so does my wife," he said. "I felt that after that amount of time (in the church) that the Lord was definitely leading me out. I will have more time to visit my children and grandchildren because they're spread out all over the place."
But he will also continue ministering as well. After specialized training, he will work as an interim pastor for churches that are between pastors or are going through a troubled time. "Its an area where I can still be busy preaching and ministering to people. That's really what ministry is all about -- working with people and helping people," he said.
The family plans on keeping the valley as their home base, though. "We love the area and the people, that's why we want to stay in the area. It's home to our kids and us," he said.
As for a legacy he leaves with his congregation, he thinks it already shows in their concern with meeting the needs of the people around them. "They're sensitive to the needs of people they come in contact with in their everyday lives and have shown this in so many ways," Rev. Frey said. "Ministry is much more than standing up and preaching. It's visiting people in the hospital, the shut-ins, those in need."
But he never forgets about his firstborn child.
"It was hard, but the Lord has used it in a beautiful way."