Mt. Moriah Lutheran Church welcomes interim pastor

The Rev. Dr. James L. Clark assumed the duties of interim pastor at Mt. Moriah Lutheran Church in Anna in early August.

Rev. Clark filled Mt. Moriah’s pastoral vacancy at the retirement of the Rev. Dr. Richard Hertenstein.

Clark welcomed Gage Brock to his first communion on Sunday, Aug. 23.

Gage is the son of Mickle and Annette Brock of Dongola. He is the grandson of Randy and Christine Bridges of Anna and the great-grandson of Charles and Greta Roberts of Anna.

Clark maintains his home in St. Louis and will be in Anna part-time.

He welcomes visitors to stop in to see him at the church office on Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Calls can be made to the church office at 833-5234 for other appointment times.

Clark grew up and went to school in Kansas.  After college and seminary, he was ordained into the ministry in 1967. 

Most of his pastoral ministry was in Mascoutah. He retired from active pastoral ministry in 2006. 

He is licensed as a supply or on-call priest in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and in the Episcopal Church in America.

Clark has earned undergraduate degrees in the arts, graduate degrees in divinity and sacred theology, as well as doctor of ministry in pastoral care and counseling. 

He does continuing education annually to maintain certification as a licensed clinical social worker.

Clark has served on numerous community agency and publication boards.

He has been honored for positions of leadership and work with youth and senior populations.

At home in St Louis is his adult adopted Filipino son, and his cat. Among his hobbies, he names pottery, reading, writing popular theology and gardening.