Dale Parker
Pastor
dparker@halifaxumc.com
(717) 896-8092

Pastor Dale is a 1975 graduate of Middletown High School and a graduate of Harrisburg Community College, where he received an associate degree in Business Administration.  He received a Behavioral Science degree from Messiah College and earned a Master of Divinity Degree from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Ky.  In 1996, Pastor Dale was honored with a New Pastor’s Mentor Certificate from Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist Schools University, Dallas, Texas.

He was a counselor at Bethesda Mission, Harrisburg, a social worker in Anderson, S.C. and a youth director at Chambers Hill UMC.  As an ordained elder he served as an associate pastor at Aldersgate UMC, York, a lead pastor at Bald Eagle Parish, Tyrone, lead pastor at Fishburn UMC, Hershey and lead pastor at Aldersgate UMC, Mechanicsburg. 

His greatest asset is his loving family.  He has been married 24 years to Tami.  Together they have two  children. A daughter, 20, is attending Messiah College pursuing a degree in Psychology.  A son, 18, a power-lifting champ, has just graduated from high school and will be attending the University of New Orleans majoring in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering in the fall. 

Special News!
PASTOR DALE RECEIVES THE DENMAN EVANGELISM AWARD FOR CLERGY

He was nominated for this award by our District Superintendent, Rev. Dr. Debbie Heisley-Cato.  She cited his passion for carrying out the Great Commission and his ability to reach new persons for Jesus Christ in a variety of settings from the city streets to rural parts of Pennsylvania based on the churches he has served.

She continued that Pastor Dale seems to be asking “How can we reach more people and touch more lives with the love of Jesus Christ?”  This drive to be a part of changing lives has led him to encourage Halifax Church to provide leadership for a community wide, cooperative youth movement that concentrates on helping youth to develop character, confidence and community.  The same drive has led him to encourage the church to leave the church building on Easter morning and provide worship in the high school auditorium for the entire community, a worship that involved radical hospitality and loving invitation to follow Jesus. 

In an effort to bless married people, the church also invited the community to view the movie “Fireproof” in the high school auditorium and followed with an invitation to join a marriage enrichment group. 

Under his leadership ministry to persons in need has also grown with the church reaching out to the surrounding community and to homeless families living in a wooded area in south Harrisburg.

Rev. Dr. Heisley-Cato pointed out that Pastor Dale is always quick to mention that these efforts involve many committed Christians working together.  But it has partly been his use of his spiritual gift of encouragement that has allowed people to believe in themselves and step out into unknown territory trusting that if Jesus calls, Jesus will provide what is needed to answer that call.  So not only have persons been blessed by the service offered, but many have been blessed by the privilege of serving alongside Christ through Pastor Dale’s encouragement.

This award was bestowed upon him at Annual Conference on Thursday, June 9, 2011.