It was a day of thanks and celebration for the congregation of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Kreidersville Sept. 14.

Good Shepherd and its members welcomed Gary Walbert as its new pastor.

A 3 p.m. installation service included readings from Isaiah, Corinthians and John. Mother Laura Howell, rector at Trinity Episcopal Church in Bethlehem, was the guest speaker and gave the sermon.

Walbert was presented with a letter certifying the authorization of the church's agreement to install him. When asked if he will "commit himself to this new trust and responsibility," Walbert replied, "I will, and I ask God to help me."

Following the service, there was a covered dish dinner in the Fellowship Hall for the Good Shepherd members and Walbert's family and friends.

Walbert attended Kutztown State University and continued his education at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, graduating in 1980.

His aspiration to become a pastor started at a young age, first beginning with a loss in his family.

"When I was about 9 years old, my sister died and the pastor that came to the house who talked to my parents and talked to me, for some reason as he was talking, I just looked up to him and said, 'One day, I want to be just like you,'" Walbert said. "And he said, 'Well, you have a while to go yet.' And, through ups and downs, finally when I was about 23, I decided that I was going to try it," he said. "I was ordained in 1981, and I've been a pastor ever since."

Walbert has served as pastor at several churches in the area including Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in Whitehall, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Easton, St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Easton and, most recently, St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Catasauqua.

Working with people through good times and hardships is the one aspect of being a pastor that Walbert enjoys. Whether it's conducting funerals, visiting people in hospitals or helping a church member through a family tragedy, Walbert feels a sense of need and desire to be there for his parishioners and the community.

He believes this might have something to do with the pastor that was there for him during his own family's tragic loss.

"I was a shy backward kid growing up and I really didn't develop into a people person until I was in the midst of being a pastor," Walbert said.

Friendliness, Walbert said, is what would bring individuals to Good Shepherd.

"We've had a lot of people come and join the church already and one of the things they keep saying to me is how friendly and welcoming the church is," he said.

Although people are what he enjoys most about being a pastor, it's also what is the most challenging.

"People can be stubborn. People can have stories of 'We've always done it that way before' and many traditions. That's the biggest challenge, to get people past the traditions and to try something brand new," Walbert said.

But Walbert believes Good Shepherd is a wonderful church and his goal for the church is to keep it growing.

"They're an awesome congregation. They're friendly. They're loving. And I think I fell even more in love with this congregation than before. It was just a warm beautiful feeling today," he said.