Taylor Camerer
Rev. Taylor & Suzanne Camerer by the new well house in Faugasse, Haiti
Taylor & Suzanne Camerer in Faugasse, Haiti
Taylor Camerer was born in Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, in 1959, the youngest of four children in a devout Lutheran household. His father worked as a banker and his mother as a homemaker and investor. Taylor grew up alongside Pine Creek and loved Boy Scouts and played the cornet. Boats and music have been a lifelong love affair.
Suzanne and Taylor met at Susquehanna University where both were music education majors. They were married in 1982 after graduation. He accepted a position as the Director of Instrumental Music and Theatre Arts at The Mercersburg Academy (a preparatory boarding high school) in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, for three years before they left to add a cattle enterprise to the family farming business.
It was during this time in Jersey Shore that their family grew with the addition of three daughters: Emily, Elizabeth, and Lindsay. It was also during this time that their faith was ignited. The Pastor (Rev. Dr. John Brindger) and Music Minister (Mike Muzzo) from Covenant-Central Presbyterian Church, Northumberland Presbytery were instrumental in bringing Taylor and Suzanne to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. After becoming members there, Taylor became an Elder in 1996 and Suzanne a Deacon in 1998. Taylor founded and conducted the Tiadaghton Musicale, a community chorus, during this time, and also served as the interim conductor of the Williamsport Civic Chorus and interim music minister at Covenant-Central. The call to pastoral ministry became more and more evident to both Taylor and Suzanne in the late 1990Õs. A number of close family friends, both clergy and non-clergy, as well as the worshiping community helped to confirm this call.
In June 1999, the Camerer family moved to South Hamilton, Massachusetts, so that Taylor could attend Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary to work toward a Master of Divinity degree. While there, he was the Theological Student Delegate at the 214th General Assembly. The family attended Pilgrim Church in the Boston Presbytery, a PC(USA) union church, where Taylor assisted with worship through preaching, music, and assisting with communion; Suzanne served at this church as an Elder. Taylor also served as an Alpha small group leader, did hospital visitations, and led church retreats. Both he and Suzanne served as youth and adult Sunday School teachers.
It was at Pilgrim Church that they began serving with Doorway to Peace, a mission outreach to the people in the village of Faugasse, Haiti. This ministry has thus far drilled a well in the village, built and continues to run an elementary school with a medical outreach and with plans to further develop the school and build a Prayer Center. Taylor currently serves as the President of the American Board of Directors for Doorway to Peace.
Rev. Taylor Camerer, pastors Greencastle Presbyterian Church. Taylor loves the Lord and wants to share the reasonableness of Christian faith, which is the best answer to the existential questions of who we are and why we exist. God has disclosed his heart to us in the Bible, by which we can assess what is of God, and what is alien to his purposes. Our world cries out for the joy found in Christ Jesus, and the contentment received at his table.