THE GROWING YEARS—THE LAST VICARS OF ST. ANDREW’S
The 60’s and 70’s was not a good time for the Episcopal Church and St. Andrew’s was no exception. Vietnam, racial tension, and changes in church policy all led to a decline in church attendance across the United States. The Rev. Ron Lynch was called to St. Andrew’s right in the middle of all this. A young priest with little experience but with a lot of energy came to a church that the Diocese had given up on. During the time after Father Wolfgang left, attendance had dwindled to 15 to 20 people, no college students were attending and the Episcopal Home was in decline. The diocese told Father Lynch that if something wasn’t done the Church would be sold.
What Rev. Lynch lacked in experience as a priest, he more than made up for it in the knowledge he had for the people of the church, the college and the town. In September of 1960 Ron Lynch started his college career at what was then Shippensburg State College. He knew at the time that he wanted to be a priest in the Episcopal Church and that he would be going to seminary soon after graduation. He sought out the nearest Episcopal Church and volunteered to do whatever he could. He sang in the choir, helped Father Wolfgang with his ministry to the college students and anything else that needed done. During his time as a student at Shippensburg he played in the band as a percussionist, something that he would continue after returning as vicar at St. Andrew’s.
Ron Lynch grew up in Lewistown , Pa., and attended Lewistown High School, where he acquired a love of music. He became a drummer in the high school band and after graduation, he joined the local Elks Band. After enlisting in the Air Force he became a member of the Air Force Drum and Bugle Corps and eventually was stationed in Japan. While stationed there he became interested in being a missionary, after seeing the problems the practicing Christians there were facing. However, a lack of a college education delayed his plans. He was accepted at Shippensburg in 1960 and majored in business education. After graduation he attended the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Va. While there he served as chaplain of the Episcopal Armed Forces Center in Washington and an internship as chaplain of the Iowa State Correctional School for Boys in Elnora, Iowa. After graduating from seminary he was assigned as curate at St. John’s in York. During his time in York, he served as a member of the advisory board of the York County Youth Council, as a counselor in two York youth centers and as acting chaplain for York College.
Father Lynch seemed to have a knack for self-promotion. In his fifteen years at St. Andrew’s he took every opportunity to get his picture and the church in the news. Before and after every major improvement to the church, his work at the college, trips to Japan, playing in the college band and announcing at football games all seemed to become front page news. When there wasn’t any headline news, he would take out large ads with his picture in the middle, telling everyone about the Episcopal Church and the upcoming services. This might not be what the church is all about but it worked. Things started happening, people started coming and St. Andrew’s was saved from being sold.
During Father Lynch’s time here he did see many improvements. New lights and wiring were installed, thanks to the ECW. The floor in the Altar area was refinished, again thanks to the women of the church.
Money was raised to restore the stain glass and the interior of the church was repainted The Moller organ was repaired and updated with French trumpet pipes. Thanks to Edith Jones, a bell was purchased and put in the bell tower by the men of the church. The sign board was designed and build by Ray Stine and the first part of the Parish Life Center was designed by Doris Stine and built by Ray and members of St. Andrew’s. The church never had a pulpit but thanks to a memorial donation from the Mears family one was installed. Then there was the bat problem but that was solved by a broom and some quick thinking by Ron.
Even though Father Lynch had a knack for self-promotion, he did work hard for the fame. He expanded the ministry to the Episcopal Home and built up the Sunday school program. Ministered to 125 Episcopal students at the college and was the adviser to the Canterbury club. He spearheaded the Campus Christmas Mass here at St. Andrew’s and started a soul-rock mass here on Sundays. When he wasn’t busy with his duties for the church, he was the commissioner of parks and recreation for the town. Then in the summer and fall he would trade his collar for a band uniform and march in the half time shows with the college band. In 1976 he even marched with the university band in the inauguration day parade in Washington. When the marching got to be too much he started announcing at the games.
In the fifteen years Father Lynch was here he was a great asset to the success of St. Andrew’s. He was well liked and I am sure, missed when he left in 1984 to be the Chaplin at the Mississippi State Penitentiary. He left a thriving church, ready to grow even larger with their new vicar.