The Pastor: Pastor Eric Dorville grew up in Bethlehem, PA where he was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem. He sang in the church choirs and went to youth group every week. His faith became a reality on a mission trip to Portland, Maine. It was a particularly difficult time in his life, which led him to questioning God’s love of him. It was then he experienced God in a way he never had before, and he knew not only that God loved him, but that God had a great purpose for his life. Following that mission trip, Eric’s involvement in the church increased, particularly in youth ministry. He went to Eastern University with the intention of studying psychology for the purpose of opening up a counseling practice until God moved in his heart and redirected his steps toward youth ministry. Eric served at a local church for nearly four years before serving as a youth director while finishing up his senior year of college. In 2007, Eric felt God prompting him to go to seminary. Eric graduated from Palmer Theological Seminary in 2010. Since then he has held numerous positions in church leadership. Eric served as a High School Youth Discipleship Coordinator at First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, and as an office manager and director of youth and young adults at Leverington Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. For the past five years Eric has served as the Associate Pastor for Discipleship and Mission at First Presbyterian Church of Ambler. His main charge was to work with congregational leaders and staff to aid people of all ages to deepen their faith journey through small groups. He also focused on developing and strengthening the church’s local mission through service opportunities. Eric also created a pathway for visitors of the church to become actively engaged in its life and ministry. Eric also provided pastoral care to FPC Ambler’s members in conjunction with other church leaders. Throughout his years in ministry Eric has desired one thing: that people would encounter and experience God in a transformative way. His primary spiritual gifts are preaching and teaching. He hopes to reflect the love of Christ to all he encounters while challenging them to grow in their faith and be the disciples Christ calls them to be. Eric also loves working with church leaders, helping them to cast a wide vision for ministry together – especially utilizing website and social media as a way to engage with the surrounding communities. Eric has been married to his incredible wife Maddie for eight years. She is a teacher for the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District. Together they have two incredible children: Andrew who is three years old and Eleanor who is two months old. In their free time Eric, Maddie like to go to the beach and travel together. Eric enjoys reading, cooking, and cheering on his favorite sports teams: the Eagles, Phillies, Flyers, Sixers, and Philadelphia Union. The Elders: The Elders are responsible for the mission and government of the church.  The session of Penningtonville is made up of 6 elders, each of whom chairs different Ministry Teams and Committees. We have 3 Ministry Teams – Worship, Christian Education & Community Formation, and Mission & Outreach Opportunities – and several Committees including Budget, Personnel, and Nominating. The session is also responsible along with the pastor to lead the congregation in developing their relationship with Jesus Christ, as well as overseeing the work of all other boards and committees. The Deacons: It is the duty of deacons, first of all, to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress both within and beyond the community of faith. The Board of Deacons at Penningtonville is made up of 9 individuals, each of whom is responsible for the different ministries the deacons provide. Among their various ministries, the deacons of Penningtonville visit with those who are homebound or in a nursing facility, and provide meals to those recovering from recent illness or hospitalization.  The deacons offer financial support to the Parkesburg Churches Community Outreach (PCCO) and the Octorara Area Food Cupboard (OAFC). They also provide a Thanksgiving Dinner to Seniors in the area on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, send care packages to students away from home, and mail bulletins and cards to homebound members. A new ministry of the Deacons is Adopt a Night at The Point in Parkesburg. On the Fifth Tuesdays and Thursdays of each month the Deacons and members of the congregation serve a meal and deliver a message for the children and youth at The Point. The Trustees: The primary responsibilities of the trustees are the maintenance and upkeep of the church buildings and grounds. They are also in charge of managing any funds given specifically for the maintenance and upkeep of the church buildings and grounds. Sundays of Service are organized periodically by the Trustees to help accomplish the ordinary tasks of maintaining an old building. Snow removal, grass cutting, window cleaning, and pipe replacing are only a few of the things the trustees do to keep our church looking beautiful.