The First Presbyterian Church of Stanhope and the Andover Presbyterian Church are pleased to announce that they have elected Pastor Pamela Osborne as their new pastor.  Pam began serving both congregations on Sept. 9, 2024. Pam grew up in Presbyterian churches in a family of active church members.  She was ordained as a Deacon in high school and an Elder as a young adult.  She served on Session, taught Sunday School, sung in the choir, served on mission projects, and has always been involved with the life of the church. Although Pam felt a calling at a young age to enter the ministry, she first studied sociology at Ithaca College and earned her MSW from Rutgers University.  For many years she worked as a social worker supporting people and their families in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers as a counselor and advocate.  Years later when she decided to enter the ministry, she studied at Union Theological Seminary in New York City.  While at seminary she says “…I began to pray about where, specifically, God…might be leading me to serve.  I learned that I loved providing pastoral care in the hospital…but also at coffee hour, that I enjoyed planning and leading worship, that I liked churches of a size where I could know a bit about each of the parishioners, that I valued good music as part of worship, and that I was called to serve a church that strove to meet the needs in its community and world.  These are among the qualities that drew me to your congregations and that excite me about the possibilities for ministry in Stanhope and Andover!” Pam is beginning a new “yoked” or shared ministry, serving as pastor for both churches. Both congregations are excited to welcome Pam, along with her husband Scott and their daughter Emily, into our church families and are convinced that God has surely led her to us and us to her.  There will be an Ordination and Installation service for Pam on Sunday, September 29 at 3:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church of Stanhope, 100 Main Street, with a reception following in Fellowship Hall. Worship Services are every Sunday at 9:00 am at the First Presbyterian Church of Stanhope and at 10:30 am at Andover Presbyterian Church. We welcome all to worship with us.