looking for a pastor who had a strong faith and for whom Jesus Christ was Lord. We also wanted to find someone who could preach, teach, minister to the congregation, and do all things necessary to run the office smoothly and maintain the church’s building and campus.


Guided by the Holy Spirit, we read Pastoral Information Forms (kept under lock and key in room 124—obviously before computer searches) and listened to sermon tapes. Ten we did phone interviews and finally asked a few candidates to come visit with us. And that’s how we found Mike Drake, who at the time was serving a congregation in New York. Our congregation then elected Mike to the position at FPCA.


Te committee and the congregation were sure we had found the pastor we were looking for. We were right, but Mike has been so much more than what was envisioned at that time.


When he has preached, he typically gives us a message that makes us rethink and reread the scripture for the day. When he has taught church school classes, he has brought a different perspective to a familiar story. I remember looking at the story of Mary and Martha in a new and unexpected way. And he has ministered to the congregation, sharing in our joys and sorrows, always ready to listen with a compassionate ear. As some job responsibilities changed, Mike became pastor for mission, which has become a special passion for him, whether it is helping those in need in Allentown or traveling to Honduras to bring clean water to a village.


And then there is that part of the job that says “administrative.” Tat means seeing to the installation of a new boiler, fixing a staff member’s computer, making a mail-merge program work properly, or using his dry wit to put a smile on someone’s face. Tose represent just a very small sample of that part of his job. For anyone—staff or congregation member—who has a question on almost any topic, the answer is “Ask Mike, he’ll know.”


Mike brings to all he does a commitment to do his best and to share with everyone his kind and caring heart. All of us are blessed that he accepted our call to minister at First Presbyterian.


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