The Rev. Dr. Norman E. (Chips) Koehler is retiring, effective the end of this year. On Sunday, December 22 (the day after St. Thomas' Day), St. Thomas Memorial Church will gather for a luncheon to celebrate the ministry of Fr. Chips and Jan Koehler.
Originally a member of Fox Chapel Episcopal Church, he was first ordained to the vocational diaconate, after going through the diocesan ACTS program. Later, receiving a call to priesthood, he returned to Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, earning an MDiv. and was ordained at St. Andrew's, New Kensington.
He has served on the diocesan staff and at Redeemer, Squirrel Hill; St. Andrew's, New Kensington; St. Barnabas, Brackenridge; St. Paul's, Kittanning, St. Mary's, Redbank; and St. Thomas, Oakmont.
Before ordination, he served a 27-year career as a naval officer (including Vietnam, as naval attache to the US embassy in Greece and in the Carter White House) and as a professional fundraiser at Brown, Northwestern, CMU and Pitt. He has also served as an assisting chaplain at Presbyterian Seniorcare Home in Oakmont for nearly 15 years.
St. Thomas Church plans to honor him and his wife, Jan, at a special luncheon reception after church on Sunday, December 22. His last Sunday will be on December 29. In retirement, he and Jan are hoping to travel more to visit family in Massachusetts and Maine and to visit their newest great granddaughter in Montreal more often.
Everyone is welcome to this gathering to celebrate and to thank God for them! Please contact St. Thomas in Oakmont at 412-828-9680 or stthomasoakmont@verizon.net to RSVP.