Dear brothers and sisters in Christ at the Greenwood United Methodist Church,
Grace and peace to you:
We are looking forward to coming to Greenwood and all the opportunities God has for each and every one of us as we join together in ministry.. Our hometown, where we have lived for much of our lives, is Three Springs, PA. We have four grown children – George, Chris, Jessica, and Amanda. We also have four grandchildren – Katlin, Brett, Dawson, and Devin. Traci’s mother, Patty, is in need of the care that is provided by a nursing facility and will be coming to live near us in Altoona.
I have been active in the United Methodist Church for as long as I can remember. I accepted Jesus as my Savior at an early age and was baptized when I was a teenager. I was a member of our church youth group at Grace United Methodist Church. I served as the Sunday School Superintendent and taught the Young Adult Sunday School class for a period of time. I also served as the President of the Huntingdon County District Ten Sunday School Association for 16 years.
It was during the Ordination Service at the 1987 Central Pennsylvania United Methodist Annual Conference when I felt the power of the Holy Spirit in a new way in my life. It’s hard to describe because the feeling is beyond words. After I returned from the conference I searched for the Lord’s will and direction. This led me to complete the basic and advanced lay speaking courses in the United Methodist Church. Through the power of the Holy Spirit I found I could speak God’s message in church and I began to sense the call to ordained ministry. As a result I completed the United Methodist Candidacy Study Program and was certified as a candidate for ordained ministry.
From 1991 to 2005 I served on a part-time basis in the Doylesburg United Methodist Charge, the Valleys United Methodist Parish, and the Three Springs United Methodist Parish. Being a part of these churches gave me the opportunity to be involved in many aspects of parish ministry.
For nineteen years I worked in various capacities including a training instructor for General Motors, a high school automotive/diesel instructor, a Workforce Education Instructor for Penn State University, and Administrative Director in career and technical education. In 2004 I left my career in public education to attend Wesley Theological Seminary and follow God’s call to the ordained ministry. Then in December of 2005 we moved to Jersey Shore, PA where I have been serving as pastor of the Oval United Methodist Church. Last year I graduated from seminary with a Master of Divinity degree and will be commissioned as a probationary elder during our Annual Conference this year.
God has truly blessed us and Traci and I continually experience God’s love and grace in our lives. We give God the glory for all He has done, is doing, and will continue to do in the future. My prayer is that God will guide us as we join with you in Greenwood and proclaim the good news of God’s love and salvation through Jesus Christ to the world. You are continually in our prayers during this time of transition.
In Christ’s love,
Pastor Joe Fleck