Interim Minister
Biography - the Rev. Tom Nalesnik
Rev. Tom Nalesnik, like one of Jesus' original twelve disciples, is also a second-career pastor. He comes to ministry with a wealth of experience from his first profession, corporate communications.
In his earlier career, working with ad agencies and television stations, the Rev. Nalesnik used his creativity to help conceptualize, explain, and promote clients' products and services in the marketplace. Now, he brings this talent to the needs of the church, teaching, guiding, and encouraging congregations in these changing times, while exploring new avenues to spread the Word in imaginative and engaging ways.
A graduate of Moravian Theological Seminary, Bethlehem, Pa., Rev. Nalesnik most recently served as pastor of Old Zionsville United Church of Christ in Old Zionsville, Pa. Before that, he was pastor at Concord United Church of Christ, Scranton, Pa.
Following graduation from seminary, he served as transitional interim pastor at Faith UCC in Allentown, Pa. While attending Moravian Seminary, he was a summer intern at Phoebe Ministries (a UCC-affiliated nursing home and assisted living facility in northeast Pennsylvania), and student pastor at two churches, Trinity Great Swamp UCC, Spinnerstown, Pa., and St. John’s UCC, Howertown, Pa. Rev. Nalesnik had also been a member of the Small Group Task Force of the Penn Northeast Conference of the United Church of Christ, as well as a church council and committee member before entering seminary.
Rev. Nalesnik and his wife Hannelore (who is also a pastor, ordained in the Moravian Church, as well as a children's book author) have two children, Nadia and Esperanza, ages 8 and 4.