When Henry Charlton, or "Pastor Hank", as he preferred to be called, arrived in 1992, many of us had pretty low expectations. Financial problems had forced the church to go to a part-time pastor. Not only was Pastor Hank "part-time", he was already retired, not fully ordained, lived in St. Michaels; and if that wasn't enough, he came from a Lutheran background. Boy, were we ever wrong!

Pastor Hank's first assignment was to implement the district's plan to close Faith Chapel, but that was not to happen. A handful of faithful members and friends soon convinced Pastor Hank that not only should the church stay open, it should grow. Under his leadership, the church did grow - almost 600%.

I remember Pastor Hank as a real people oriented pastor. He understood individual feelings and concerns, and how people worked, or sometimes didn't work, together. He appreciated and encouraged people, and recognized their accomplishments. He managed to eliminate, or greatly reduce old rivalries and factions within and between our churches. Pastor Hank brought a new order and dignity to our worship services and established a new unified foundation on which our churches would build for years to come.

Failing health forced Pastor Hank to give up his ministry at Trappe / Faith Chapel in 1998, but his many positive contributions will endure long after the words of his sermons fade into memory. Oh yeah…. that part about being a part time pastor, I guess they forgot to tell Pastor Hank.

by

Robert Croswell