Rev. Kyle Delhagen

Biography 

One of the things you learn growing up as the son of a minister, is that a pastor’s family is as much called to a congregation and place as the pastor themself. My wife, Elena, and our two children,

Jumah - 15, and Atticus - 4, not only keep me grounded and remind me of God’s love and joy every day, but they deepen my ministry in profound ways. As a husband, a biological father, and a father of an adopted daughter, my understanding of our relationship with God has been stretched, challenged, and changed in amazing ways.

My life of faith has been profoundly shaped by many people and in many places. As a young person, I found my spiritual life being influenced by the church family and friends I was always around. My church youth group provided many opportunities to study God’s Word, talk about what it means to be a Christian, and also to put our faith into action. Some of the most formational moments in my spiritual development were on service trips during school breaks to Staten Island to work with the homeless, hungry, and those suffering from HIV/AIDS. All of this set me on a very early path to ministry.

Throughout college, I struggled with my call to be a pastor. Having grown up as a pastor’s kid, I tried to avoid where I sensed God was pulling me, but when God has a desire for your life, it is hard to ignore! I spent six summers during and after college working at Camp Fowler in the Adirondacks, and then two years working in youth ministry before going to seminary at New Brunswick Theological Seminary in New Jersey. Following graduation from Seminary, I spent a year working as a Resident Chaplain at a Philadelphia Hospital, which taught me a lot about being a pastoral presence in times of grief and trauma.

In the few years following, I turned to teaching at a private Christian school in center city Philadelphia, where I taught tenth and twelfth grade English. During that time I was a part-time pastor of a small Reformed Church outside of Philadelphia. In that experience, I found myself drawn more and more to full time parish ministry. Since October of 2016, I have served as Pastor of Western Presbyterian Church in Palmyra, where I have continued to be challenged and stretched, finding fullness in this particular time and place of God’s family.

Monday Mailing Vol 2, Ed 15

Welcome to the Monday Mailing Vol 2, Ed 15 -           An Easter Prayer, by Walter Brueggemann On our own, we conclude: that there is not enough to go around we are going to run short of money of love… of grades of publications of sex of beer of members of years of...

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Monday Mailing Vol 2, Ed 14

Welcome to the Monday Mailing Vol 2, Ed 14 - Jesus Barabbas There are days when we hear things in the Holy Texts that we don’t remembering hearing before. There are days when, given what is happening around us, the Holy Texts take on new meaning for us. There are days...

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Monday Mailing Vol 2, Ed 13

Welcome to the Monday Mailing Vol 2, Ed 13 - Words from Larissa Kwong Abazia (Larissa is a fellow colleague and former vice-moderator of the 221st General Assembly. I share her words from last week, as her words are as important for us to hear.) It took until today...

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Monday Mailing Vol 2, Ed 12

Welcome to the Monday Mailing Vol 2, Ed 12 -First World Problems Getting out of the bed this morning, when it was still 13 degrees outside, was an exercise infutility. It was a four-cat night, and even as I stirred under the covers, the cats seemed towedge themselves...

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Monday Mailing Vol 2, Ed 11

Welcome to the Monday Mailing Vol 2, Ed 11  -    52 Weeks. . . This week marks week 52. . .what a year! We were just learning about the Virus at this time last year, and were convinced that if we simply (things are rarely simple) washed our hands, wore a mask and...

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Monday Mailing Vol 2, Ed 10

Welcome to the Monday Mailing Vol 2, Ed 10 - Phew. . .the weekend is over. . .now the hard work begins! What a day. . .what a weekend! What a PNC. . .what a Candidate! I can affirm for all to hear that you have indeed called a new pastor for HUPC. What I cannot do...

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