pastorbob.ohpc@gmail.com
I was teaching high school in Bassett, Virginia and visiting churches on Sunday mornings in the early 1980’s when it hit me: CHURCH WAS BORING ME TO TEARS…and I knew I wasn’t alone in that perception. I’m STILL not alone in that perception! Back then, my boredom with church became a clear call to me to go to seminary and begin thinking about ways God might be able to use me to change what people saw and felt about church. Growing up a preacher’s kid, I knew that church could be fun and meaningful at the same time…it just took a little extra effort.
Now, 27 years later, well, I’m just getting warmed up…and I think that one of the coolest things I’ve ever heard from a fellow Christ-follower at church was this: “You know, church here is like what Forrest Gump said…a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re going to get.” Praise God!
I love the church and I love my vocation…and I love the people here at OHPC who are deeply committed to making the kingdom come “on earth as it is in heaven” and I will strive to help us continue to fulfill our purpose to “experience and express the love of Jesus Christ.”
I was going to end there and then our webmaster said: “It’s a bio, Pastor Bob…tell the folks some more about yourself.” I said, “I like to do that in person.” He said, “Do it here!”
So…not to disappoint SteveO…here’s some stuff about me: I love my wife Karen and we are proud of our two married kids Drew and Julianne…and their choice of life partners, Andrea and Kyle respectively. Karen and I also love our first grandson, Connor William Helfrich, born to Julianne and Kyle in September 2017. I enjoy hiking and canoeing and all things outdoors. I love movies and books and throwing pots on my wheel in my basement studio. I enjoy teaching a public speaking class at Onondaga Community College and it is, for sure, an outreach for the church. I love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, strawberry Twizzlers and good red wine.
Enjoy some of my favorite images of Pastor Bob, whom I kiddingly started calling him “PB” one day and it stuck. Our late Doug Miller used to call him “Reverend” said in a deep husky voice. That always made all of us smile.
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Image #29 -
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“PB” loves the outdoors. Not just a little. I mean he LOVES the outdoors. Given that, I felt it only just to display a couple of his outdoor sermons. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.