Our Pastor
It was in 2009 that the Rev’d Jeffrey h. Goodman was called as the 12th pastor of Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ephrata, PA.
Place of Birth: Lancaster, PA, USA. Raised in Manheim and new holland pa.
baptized at honey brook united methodist church, honey brook, PA, USA.
military service: United States Navy and Navy reserve 1992-1999.
university: millersville university of pennsylvania
seminary: evangelical seminary, myerstown, pa, usa
When he is not serving at Salem, Pastor Goodman enjoys Navy and Millersville university athletics; Phillies baseball and reading theology and history. His Blog is located Here. Please join Pastor Goodman in his study at the church for afternoon tea/coffee during the week. Contact Rev'd Goodman by email: Pastor@salemephrata.org
Pastor Goodman preaches and teaches according to the Bible. He subscribes fully to the confession of The Lutheran Church. he further subscribes to the common confession of 2005:
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The Lord Jesus Christ
We are people who believe and confess our faith in the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We trust and believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
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The Gospel of Salvation
We believe and confess that all human beings are sinners, and that sinners are redeemed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God alone justifies human beings by faith in Christ—a faith that God creates through the message of the Gospel. As ambassadors for Christ, God uses us to speak His Word and build His kingdom.
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The Authority of Scripture
We believe and confess that the Bible is God's revealed Word to us, spoken in Law and Gospel. The Bible is the final authority for us in all matters of our faith and life.
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A Common Confession of Faith
We accept and uphold that the Lutheran Confessions reliably guide us as faithful interpretations of Scripture, and that we share a unity and fellowship in faith with others among whom the Gospel of Jesus Christ is preached and the Sacraments are administered in accordance with the Gospel.
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The Priesthood of All Believers
We believe and confess that the Holy Spirit makes all who believe in Jesus Christ to be priests for service to others in Jesus' name, and that God desires to make use of the spiritual gifts he has given through the priesthood of all believers.
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Marriage and Family
We believe and confess that the marriage of male and female is an institution created and blessed by God. From marriage, God forms families to serve as the building blocks of all human civilization and community. We teach and practice that sexual activity belongs exclusively within the Biblical boundaries of a faithful marriage between one man and one woman.
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The Mission and Ministry of the Congregation
We believe and confess that the Church is the assembly of believers called and gathered by God around Word and Sacrament, and that the mission and ministry of the Church is carried out within the context of individual congregations, which are able to work together locally and globally.
How did you know you were called to be a pastor?
On deployment to Okinawa, Japan with fox company, second battalion, eighth marines
Bishop: "The church in which you are to be ordained confesses that the holy scriptures are the word of god and are the norm of its faith and life. we accept, teach, and confess the apostles', the nicene, and the athanasian creeds. we also acknowledge the Lutheran Confessions as true witnesses and faithful expositions of the holy scriptures. will you therefore preach and teach in accordance with the holy scriptures and these creeds and confessions?"
answer: "I will, and I ask god to help to me."
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