There’s a new pastor at Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church in Lehighton.

The Rev. Dale Oplinger was appointed to the position on July 1, and invites everyone looking for a welcoming, Bible believing church to come and visit the church at 222 North St.

“The people at Bethany EC Church are a very open, loving and community focused group, living and working in Lehighton,” Oplinger said.

Oplinger noted the church has Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and Sunday morning worship service at 10:45 a.m. Anyone interested in attending can call him at the church at 610-377-0724.

“My next goal is to get to know the people of Lehighton better to determine how we at Bethany EC Church can help and be a benefit to the community,” he said.

Oplinger encouraged people to visit the church’s website, www.bethanylehighton.com, and its Facebook page, www.facebook.com/BethanyECLehighton/.

“I am looking at some new programs for the youth of our community, some new daytime get-together groups, and reactivating our church clothing ministry for folks with that specific need,” he said.

Oplinger said the congregation currently has between 45 to 55 active worshippers at its Sunday services.

“A great size for people to connect with each other and get to know each other, with room for new folks looking for a church to worship God, our Lord Jesus Christ, and connect personally with others,” he said.

Oplinger, who lives with his wife in Walnutport, detailed what he enjoys most in his role as pastor.

“I really enjoy working with and helping people,” he said. “In our electronically connected but personally disconnected society, I believe it is important to bring people together.

“I also believe we need to tell folks about Jesus, and how their lives can be so much better with him, than without him. Everybody knows John 3:16, but I really love John 3:17 because it says: ‘God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.’

“One of my real joys is doing baby baptisms. It just doesn’t really get way better than that.”

Oplinger said that he grew up in the EC church, and did everything from janitor, the president of the board and property manager to choir director.

“However, even with all that experience, you do not really decide to be a pastor,” he said. “I believe I was called by the Lord to pastor and be a shepherd of God’s people wherever he wanted me to be.”

Oplinger said that after hearing and responding to the call, he was serving and worshipping in the United Methodist Church. That is where his journey began 14 years ago.

He went to Evangelical Seminary in Myerstown and earned a degree in ministry, graduating in 2018. Oplinger was serving at Ebenezer United Methodist Church when the call came that Bethany EC Church in Lehighton was looking for a minister.

“This came at just the right time as these things usually do when the Lord has a plan for your life,” he said. “I am now looking forward to many years of serving Bethany EC church and Lehighton as the Lord leads.”

Oplinger said that Bethany EC has “good news for all that want to come, hear, experience and connect with people who love the Lord and their community.

“The prophet Isaiah said in chapter 43, verse 19: ‘Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?’ Come and join us in this new thing, this new chapter in the history of Bethany EC church and Lehighton.”

Sandra Kokinda, president of the church council, said the church is thankful that Oplinger was available and accepted the position.

“He was chosen because he’s an experienced Christian man who preaches the Gospel, and that’s what we were looking for, a person who has a deep commitment to Christ,” Kokinda said. “We were just fortunate, he blends in so nicely.”