New Staff Associates for Schuylkill, Hazleton-Lehighton, East and West Berks

We give thanks, praise and glory to God – as Pastor Zach Labagh and Pastor Ken Melber accept appointments to new assignments on the NE PA Synod staff. They will both remain in their congregational pastoral calls and responsibilities, taking on these roles as “Associate of the Bishop” on a part-time basis. Associates of the Bishop work with congregations, leaders, and Deans in our nine mission districts, assisting them with transitions and making connections that build ministries and vitality. They will both begin this service as of August 1^st, 2025.

Pastor Labagh will be serving as Associate of the Bishop for two mission districts: East Berks and the West Berks. He has already been serving as Associate for the Schuylkill Mission District since July 2023. His principal call is Pastor of Allegheny Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mohnton, which is in the West Berks Mission District.

Pastor Melber will be serving as Associate of the Bishop, also in two mission districts: Hazleton-Lehighton and Schuylkill. Pastor Melber serves two congregations: St. John’s Lutheran Church in Towamensing; and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Palmerton; which are both neighboring churches in the Hazleton-Lehighton Mission District. He also serves as the elected Secretary of the NE PA Synod.

Both of these rostered ministers are well known and respected in the mission districts in which they will be serving, as well as across the synod. Pastor Labagh and Pastor Melber are both replacing two beloved Associates who recently resigned: Pastor Carl Shankweiler in Hazleton-Lehighton Mission District; and Pastor Drew Neidig in East and West Berks. Both out-going Associates are committed to working closely with these incoming Associates and the full synod staff to assure a smooth transition and continued full support for the mission districts, their congregations, leaders and members. We are all deeply grateful for the warm, wise, caring, and diligent service of Pastor Neidig and Pastor Shankweiler. We are also glad to report that both will continue their faithful service in those mission districts and across the synod, in the several roles that they are deeply engaged in. It is a great privilege to get to work with all four of these leaders, and I look forward to supporting them in their future work.