PCFL Welcomes New Pastor

There are three things you notice about Rev. Louis Kilgore when you first meet him: his mischievous grin, his sparkling eyes and the way he talks with his hands as if they were punctuating his words. After that you will be amazed at the depth of his knowledge not only about scripture and bible related matters, but about everyday people—their triumphs, their losses and concerns. 

Pastor Lou, as he is called by congregants, was not born in an ivory tower, nor was his path paved with gold—he understands firsthand what a joy that life can be and knows how to comfort you when it is not. He takes it all with a grain of salt and models putting everything into perspective. And already the flock is following him as once empty seats are beginning to fill up.

Kilgore has a habit of increasing the populations of the churches he spends time in.  In fact, it is his specialty, having been called before to dying or divided churches and working wonders within their midst. Part mediator, part man-of-the-cloth-stand-up, Kilgore is all business when it comes to leading the way. 

It is hard to resist his genuine warmth or the sound of his strong voice leading favorite hymns, but his is pretty good at listening too, providing practical counseling related to today’s important matters.  The kids like him.  Their parents like him and even the grandparents approve.

Sitting in an office lined with shelves full of books, plants and other memorabilia, one would observe that Lou is a sentimental man. He waxes poetically about his fondness for the tomes that he has carried from his years at Seminary to other congregations and finally home at the Presbyterian Church in Franklin Lakes.  Another section of his office however, contains a very modern and up to date communication center,  complete with computer, phone, printer and fax system; Lou is very much in touch with the outside world.

Remarking with amazement at the amount of information available on the internet Lou says “there is a great advantage at the unbelievable resources available at one’s fingertips.” He explains referring to a book he was reading, that the computer is a shortcut in communication similarly as when the alphabet was invented or hieroglyphics and cave painting were used. 

“These images introduced with simplicity, a universality to communicating within those societies and now today’s world,” he said.

“There are three great epochs: the oral or pre-written communication, the printed word (which appears to be coming to an end, and now the internet,” he added. “There are tribes in Africa that communicated by drumming—every member of that society was taught the alphabet of the drum. When European slavers came in and began ripping families apart, they kept in touch by drum beats, a sound that could be heard for miles.”  580 miles an hour in fact. “Anything that could be said was 100 percent accurate,” continued Pastor Lou.

“We talk today about an information overload, when in Jesus’ time, people were making the same complaints! People were looking for meaning in life much the same as they do today.

“That’s where a pastor comes in,” said Kilgore, “the church is an agency to find meaning.”

Bingo! Hit the nail right on the head. Provide meaning and purpose (and according to Lou, music and art) and the people will follow. Kilgore quoted C.S Lewis saying that people are looking for what has the “ring of truth.”

Kilgore was born in Lambertville, NJ at a time when it was a blue collar town and not the antiques-filled suburb of the artists’s colony at New Hope, located directly across the Delaware River  back when Trenton, New Jersey was a model City of the world.

Kilgore’s father was a pastor and the family lived a simple, humble life. Lou enrolled in Grove City College in Pennsylvania, majoring in Philosophy and Religion, minoring in History.   He also took up acting as a club activity and rebelling, as many young people do, decided upon graduation, to give the performance arts a spin. Kilgore spent a season or two performing with the Crossroads Theatre outside of Pittsburg. The Theatre Bug was soon trumped by a reality bite and Kilgore turned once again to education.  He was accepted on full scholarship into an MFA program at Northwestern College.  It was at this point in his life that Kilgore found himself looking for meaning and took a position  teaching the 7-8^th grades at a private Christian middle School. Working with Youth was very satisfying and he decided to enter the Eastern Seminary, where his calling became crystal clear.

Kilgore completed his studies and became Pastor at the Community Church in Stockton, NJ where he stayed for six years.  Kilgore worked as Associate Pastor at the Ewing Presbyterian Church where he became involved in Youth Education/Ministries.  Ordained as a Presbyterian, Lou says he “felt at home in the Reformed Tradition”.

Kilgore became Senior Pastor at a “Big Steeple” church in Bound Brook where coffee was still served with white gloves at half a cup in bone china. It was there that he took on his first challenge of a seriously conflicted and dying church. 

“I decided to stir the coals and see if there was a fire.” And sure enough, there was. Membership and attendance doubled and then tripled, requiring two additional full time employees.  Within ten years, Bound Brook had a full youth program and three widely attended services. 

Kilgore recently spent three years as an interim pastor at Wyoming Presbyterian Church in Milburn.

“The church was losing members and had stagnated after its 32 year pastor had retired.  Not only did we increase membership, but our youth program became so large that we had to add on to the church creating a separate youth area,” said Pastor Lou.

“The formula was to become socially progressive and welcoming,” said Kilgore who plans the same approach at PCFL.  “We offer a comprehensive youth program, critical biblical interpretation, an inclusive community, and programs that are of interest to the surrounding community including Yoga and Meditation and more.”

Pastor Kilgore tackled controversial subjects such as the current gay and lesbian ban; a policy lifted the day of the interview, which now allows for same sex individuals to serve as officials in the Presbyterian Church. 

"Churches today must re-discover life if they are going to survive.  They must be socially progressive and progressive theologically-accepting modern scholarship,” saying “the truth doesn’t need a defender, it needs a discoverer.”

“And I cannot emphasize enough the value of education-education is next to Godliness!”

Pastor Kilgore’s message is to find the meaning in your life, “find the things you believe in and pursue them with all that you have”.  This message is directed to all age groups, particularly the youth who are often an age group looking for meaning and a place to belong.

Pastor Kilgore welcomes everyone to the beautiful sanctuary nestled amongst cherry trees and acres of woods located at 730 Franklin Lakes Road.  Sunday Service is at 9:30 a.m. in the summer (10 a.m. the rest of the year) with Communion served the first Sunday of each month.  Come listen to or better yet join the choir, bring your children of all ages to hear a special weekly message, attend Sunday School (during the school year) with babysitting offered every week.  Fellowship follows immediately afterwards with hot coffee and other often homemade refreshments, where you can also enjoy artwork hung in the Gallery.

The Presbyterian Church at Franklin Lakes is a unique community that is inclusive of people of all ages who seek fellowship in shared faith.  The Church has a strong history of Mission Work as well as an appreciation for the arts and music.

For more information call PCFL at 201-891-0511 (www.pcfl.org) Check Lou out at www.portablepastor.blogspot.com or email him at revlouie@aol.com .