Rev. Steve Elderbrock has served three other Presbyterian churches before coming to Bridgeport. However, this is the first time he has been interviewing and seeking a new call since he and his wife Deb were married on Oct. 22, 2022. This is Steve’s first marriage, and he noted that it was a different experience to be interviewing for a position with a wife. Part of what attracted him to the Bridgeport congregation was the wonderful way that the PNC included Deb and any concerns she might have in the process. Steve says the PNC was positive and upbeat about the church but also very open about who the church was and its history. Steve says that he is “too old to be pretending that I am someone I am not.” He, therefore, found the lack of pretense on the part of the PNC very refreshing.
The people of the church are wonderful, Steve says. There are a lot of kids, but there is also a good cross section of all ages, and they get along well together.
Steve and Deb were looking for a church with a manse. Bridgeport has a very nice manse in a great location. Steve loves the fact that he can walk to work. He also loves the fact that the manse has a great view of Compton Park. The manse and church have a very peaceful, spiritual feel. Deer sometimes wander through the yard. Yet, they are still close to good shopping centers, the hospital, and the Bridgeport community.
The Bridgeport church has an excellent and newer building. It is all on one level and is thus easily accessible to all. The church will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its founding next year.
Steve shared the following background about himself and Deb. “I went to college at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, where I was a double major in Philosophy and Cinema. After trying to pursue both sides of that degree and realizing neither seemed like what God was calling me to do, I went back to school and received a Master’s degree in American History from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. I’ll save you the story of how all this led me to eventually, with a great deal of fear and trembling, respond to God’s call to become a pastor in the PC(USA), but I received my Master of Divinity degree from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. While there, I also had the opportunity to take a number of classes at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, one of our Presbyterian seminaries. In 2022, I enrolled again at Columbia Theological Seminary, where I am currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree.
“My wife Deb and I were married on October 22, 2022 in Asheville, North Carolina. We both grew up in Findlay, Ohio and graduated from high school together in 1985 and then reconnected many years later. Deb was an elementary school teacher for 25 years and has also worked in the non-profit world. She is hoping to serve as a substitute teacher in the Harrison County schools starting this fall. In addition to being a pastor’s wife, she is also the daughter of a pastor – her father served as a pastor and an administrator in the Church of God, General Conference.”
Steve has served actively in previous presbyteries. He has been on the Committee on Ministry, chaired the Preparation for Ministry Committee, served on the Committees for Small Church and Evangelism, was elected to read ordination exams, and served on the Permanent Judicial Commission. Steve looks forward to serving the Presbytery of West Virginia in similar ways.
When asked about his impressions of West Virginia, Steve said that he has been very pleased with the beauty of the state. His last call was in the mountains of North Carolina, very close to Mt. Mitchell, the highest mountain peak east of the Mississippi (6,500 feet above sea level.) The mountains around Bridgeport are lower and more gentle than that. Steve appreciates that.
Steve’s dreams for ministry with Bridgeport include building on the great community of faith that they already are. He wants to help them find new ways to reach out and find people in the area who are looking for the kind of great faith community the church embodies. He wants to help people grow spiritually and be part of a transforming, spiritual journey.
May God continue to bless and grow the ministry of the Rev. Steve Elderbrock and the Bridgeport Presbyterian Church.