Our Pastor

Hello! My name is John Vickers Spahr, Sr. A United Methodist my whole life, until ordained, I was a member of the Trinity UMC in Brackenridge. In 1975 I was elected a full member and Elder in the Western PA Conference. I’ve served seven churches (including a student appointment while attending seminary) before my appointment to Stone Church in July 2007.

Married to Janet M. Spahr we have three grown children: John Jr., Matthew and Margaret and two grandchildren. Janet is a registered nurse, certified in hospice and palliative care and employed by Hospice of Crawford County.

I was born and raised in Tarentum PA about 20 miles north of Pittsburgh, along the Allegheny River. I graduated from Tarentum High School (1966) Heidelberg College in Tiffin OH (1970) and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (1974.) My gifts are in the areas of administration, preaching, teaching and pastoral care. My interests are reading, classical languages and theater.

In my years of ministry in the Western PA Conference I have served on the Board of Directors of Olmsted Manor, Board of Ordained Ministry and the District Committees on Ordained Ministry in four of the ten Districts of our Conference. I chaired the Board of Education, Conference Sessions Committee and for many years served as the Legislative Floor Manager at Annual Conference.

Shortly after my arrival in Meadville, I was diagnosed with non – Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and spent the first 18 months of my appointment in treatment and recovery. I am presently in remission. My illness, taught me much about patience and how to allow yourself to be cared for by others, like this congregation, the medical community in Meadville and my family. I learned how to practice “Hope,” trust God and I discovered how fearfully and wonderfully created is our human body.