It was only the second time he presided over Spanish services since taking over as the new pastor of the Grove Reformed Church in North Bergen, and already Rev. Douglas Shepler was made to feel at home.
Shepler, who is bilingual and spent 10 years of his ministry serving in Venezuela, gave his sermon in Spanish. That had never happened before at the church, located on 46th Street and Kennedy Boulevard.
“When I was done, everyone got up and gave me a standing ovation,” Shepler said. “I think everyone was mesmerized that I could speak Spanish that well. It was an incredible feeling. I really enjoyed that.”
Shepler, who was appointed to become the new pastor of the 160-year-old church last month, believes his ability to communicate with the Hispanic population will only benefit attendance of services and participation in the church.
“I do feel being bilingual opens the doors that were not available before,” said the 48-year-old Shepler, a native of Pennsylvania who became Grove’s first full-time pastor since Rev. Dr. William Faulkner retired two years ago. “I can speak to them and they understand me. They’re willing to tell me things that they don’t normally tell others. I want to develop some genuine Hispanic worship opportunities as one of my priorities.”
Shepler said that he is very excited about taking over the duties as the pastor at Grove Reformed.
“Five years ago, when I wanted to come back to the United States from Venezuela, there was a vacancy at this church,” Shepler said. “My wife and I always wanted to come to this area, but at the time, our children were still young and I thought it would be better to take them back to Pennsylvania where I grew up. Some of my family members never met my children, so we went back there. But I’m just so pleased to come back here and do what we should have done five years ago.”
After considering the move to North Bergen five years ago, Shepler took a position as chaplain at the Milton Hershey School in Pennsylvania, close to his Lebanon roots.
Before that, he spent 10 years as a missionary to the Reformed Church of the Americas at the Evangelical Seminary of Caracas, Venezuela.
“The first year we were there, I was kind of scared, but then I fell in love with the country,” Shepler explained. “It is a beautiful country with every geographic distinction available. You can find a jungle area in one part and a desert in another. It’s a lot different than Pennsylvania.”
Before going to Venezuela, Shepler served at a church in Underwood, N.D. and as the chaplain at a college in Orange City, Iowa. He was ordained as a minister in 1979.
The Sheplers are the parents of three grown children, who live in Florida, North Carolina and New Hampshire.
“Since the children are on their own now, this was a perfect opportunity for my wife and myself,” Shepler said. “Grove has always been an important church in the community. We want to continue that tradition. It may take some time to build relationships, but I think the church has a lot to offer.”
Shepler said that he loves the fact that North Bergen has such a diverse ethnic background.
“I was in the supermarket last week and I told my wife I heard eight different languages while I was in the produce section,” Shepler said. “It’s so exciting to me. I love listening to languages and seeing the differences in people. It’s a neat process.”
Shepler said that he has already met several churchgoers who come from different backgrounds.
“We had Eastern Europeans come and tell us where to buy groceries, and a Russian woman came to talk to me about health care,” Shepler said. “The linguistic diversity is fun for us. The reception from the people has been wonderful, stopping by to say hello, calling us. It really means a lot to be so welcomed. They’ve really taken good care of us.”
Shepler said that he has certain goals in his position as pastor.
“Not only do I want to see an increase of Hispanic participation, I’d like to begin an extensive youth program to help keep kids off the streets,” Shepler said. “I think we have an opportunity here to do something different. Right now, 60 percent of the United States is under the age of 18. It’s important to do something with the kids, especially in the urban areas like North Bergen. Again, it’s a gradual process, but I think that’s where we’re headed.”
Shepler has a good feeling that he is going to be a part of the North Bergen community for quite some time. “I think they have a sense that they finally have someone who is going to be around for a while, and I think I could stay here for a long time,” Shepler said. “I think longevity is a key here. There are so many good people that have been with this church for a long time. I think they should have someone who stays here as well.”