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Rev Charles Mercer Honored As Pastor Emeritus
The Picture Rocks Baptist Church honor Rev. Charles Mercer on July 18th by bestowing upon him the title of Pastor Emeritus. The service was a wonderful service of celebration that included Pastor Charles and wife Marie’s daughter and previous Picture Rocks pastor, Rev. Pat Hernandez (currently on Staff at ABC of Michigan, Regional Consultant for Leadership Development) offering the sermon. Following a reception, 80 year old Rev. Mercer baptized his two adult grandsons in the creek running near Picture Rocks.
Marie Mercer sent this article:
The Picture Rocks Baptist Church on Sunday, July 18th honored the Reverend Charles B. Mercer by conferring the status of Pastor Emeritus in recognition of his distinguished ministry and special relationship to the church. Kathy Wertz, Church Moderator and Nancy Dorman, Chairwoman of the Church Council presented him with a certificate during the Worship Service which noted his keen mind, humble spirit and loving demeanor toward the community. The service closed with the with the congregation surrounding him the tradition of "laying on of hands".
The Emeritus service was unique in two ways: 1) Rev. Mercer's daughter, Reverend Patricia Hernandez, who served the Picture Rocks Baptist Church 1996-2001, was the speaker and 2) Following the service Rev. Mercer baptized two grandsons Mateo and Dyami Hernandez in Muncy Creek,. The Picture Rocks Baptist Church has the tradition of baptizing congregants in Muncy Creek. Mateo is a Corporal in the U.S. Marine Reserves while attending college and Dyami graduated from high school this year and starts college in the fall. Both attended East Lycoming schools while their mother was pastor in Picture Rocks
In her sermon, Rev. Hernandez described "Three Marks of Ministry", attributes drawn from her father's example of ministry: the Courage to Go Forth (accept the challenges/opportunities God presents), the Courage to Give In (surrender to God), and the Courage to Go on (look to tomorrow). Known as "Pastor Pat", Rev. Hernandez is a graduate of University of Chicago and Colgate Rochester Divinity School. Presently, she is the Consultant for Leadership Development on the American Baptists of Michigan's State staff. She develops programs to assist ministers in their church work.
Although he had retired from the ministry in 1993, Rev Mercer accepted an assignment to serve the Picture Rocks church as Interim Pastor in1995. He was asked to return for two additional interims while the church was in transition between later pastors. The Mercers live in Hughesville.
Rev. Mercer graduated from Bucknell University and Colgate Rochester Divinity School. After seminary he served with the East Harlem Protestant Parish in New York City where he met and married Marie, his wife of 54 years. Together they worked for three years in the former Yugoslavia assisting churches and then went on to a small church in a multinational neighborhood in the shadow of Ford's large River Rouge plant in Dearborn. The Mercer's went on to other ministries in Philadelphia, Troy, NY, Valley Stream, NY and served twice as the Chaplaincy Team in Moscow, Russia for the International English speaking Moscow Protestant Church. A paramount theme in his ministry and life is assisting people in difficult circumstances based on the Gospel of
Matthew 25:31- 46, which is a challenge to serve the neediest. Rev.
Mercer explained, "We limit our faith journey if we miss opportunities to help someone in need."
The Picture Rocks Baptist Church is an American Baptist Church and a member of the United Churches of Lycoming County. Rev. Ronald Turner is the current pastor.