Former Nazareth Pastor Now Heads Bethlehem Central Moravian

Central Moravian Church has welcomed the Rt. Rev. C. Hopeton Clennon, formerly chaplain of Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary, as the new Senior Pastor effective Jan. 16.

Bishop Clennon will be installed in a special service on Sunday, Jan. 20 at 11 a.m.

He has been pastor to many Moravian churches in Jamaica and to three churches in the United States: Faith in Washington, D.C., Schoeneck in Upper Nazareth Township, and Downey near Los Angeles.

“Many of us know Hopeton and Shelia [his wife] as members of the congregation,” said Mary Catherine Tachovsky, president of the Board of Trustees, and William Sachs, vice president of the Board of Elders, in a joint letter to the congregation. “Others know Hopeton as a friend, as a guide and as a spiritual leader of the Eastern District and Northern Province [of the Moravian Church].” 

Bishop Clennon replaces the Rev. Carol Reifinger, a Bethlehem native, who retired last year.

Bishop Clennon, a native of Jamaica, graduated from the University of the West Indies in 1982 and received his Diploma in Ministerial Studies from the United Theological College of the West Indies. His graduate work is in Pastoral Counseling. 

Bishop Clennon served on the Board of Trustees of Moravian Theological Seminary for a total of 14 years prior to being appointed Chaplain. He is currently a member of the Board of Trustees for the Bethlehem YMCA and the Moravian Star Senior Living, Inc. In 1998, he was consecrated Bishop of the Worldwide Unity, a leadership position in the Moravian Church in which he provides advice and counsel to pastors and administrators.

His wife, Shelia, is a teacher in the Bethlehem Area School District and their college-age children are Andrew and Danielle.