Hickory Street Presbyterian Church
Meet the Staff
Home | About Our Church | Calendar of Events | What's Going On | Thanks and Congratulations | Meet the Staff | Fellowship Groups and Activities | Youth Activities | Photo Album | Contact Us | Directions | Links | SUMMER CAMP

Tom.jpg

Tom Collins
Pastor:
Tom has been our pastor for over 30 years, long enough for him to see just about every church in Scranton change pastors.  A native of New Jersey, Tom began his work at Hickory Street in November, 1979.  He was educated at Rutgers College, Princeton Seminary, and Drew University.  Over the years he has served on the Boards of Lackawanna Prison Ministeries, Safety Net, Bread Basket, Geneva House, and Yokefellows Ministries.  In 1983 he organized the first Scranton CROP Walk for the hungry.  Through his leadership Hickory Street Church has remained active in the community while compassionately caring for the members of the congregation.  Tom moderates the Session of 18 elders and works closely with  12 members of the Board of Deacons.
He has been married 36 years to the former Leslie Ann Mullen, a woman he knew when she was 4!  They are the parents of two sons, Eli, born in 1979 and a chef in NYC, and Levi, born in 1981 and a graduate student in history at the University of Georgia, and one grandson, Coleman Levi Collins, born on October 3, 2009.

Tom can be reached at 570-344-1406 or Rut66tc@gmail.com.

greatescapepictures055.jpg

Ed Peterson
D.C.E.:

Ed joined the staff as Director of Christian Education in February, 1991.  Prior to that, he was the youth minister at Edgewood Presbyterian Church in his native Pittsburgh, PA.  A 1976 graduate of Maryville College in Tennessee, Ed's ministry to our young people and to the overall Christian Education program of our church has been marked by his astounding creativity and devotion to Christ.  Young people flock to him, and even the adults are touched each week by his children's sermons.  He spends much of his time on the road with the kids, whether it be a day trip, a week-long summer mission project, or a weekend retreat to our presbytery-owned camp in Vosburg, PA.  He has one married daughter, Kate Snyder, and three grandchildren. The newest, Haydon Mackenzie, was born on July 26, 2008.  His wife Thea almost always works with him.  They live in the Hill section of Scranton. 

Ed can be reached at 570-344-1488 or pearball@yahoo.com.

Eugene Hopkins
Minister of Music:

Gene is Hickory Street's longest tenured employee.  His work at our church began in 1967, soon after he was graduated from Westminster Choir College.  Attracted to our area by his wife Kathy, a native Scrantonian, Gene started as a full-time Minister of Music and Youth Worker but later began a teaching career in the Scranton School District from which he retired in 2005.  Gene is a master organist!  It would be hard to find someone who can match his ability to lead congregational singing, especially on our beautiful 51-ranked Casevant organ.  Gene and Kathy live in Moscow, PA and are the parents of three grown children, Barbara, Richard, and Eugene, Jr. and, the grandparents of seven grandchrildren.

Gene can be reached at 570-842-2272 or gkh7867@verizon.net.

barb.jpg

Barb Perechinsky
Business Manager:
Barb began her position as our business manager on June 1, 2007 but has been a lifelong member of our congregation. 
She is excited to  be able to work for the congregation she loves so much.  She has three children, Michael age 16, Cole age 13 and Grace age 11.
Barb can be reached at 570-343-4235 or barbhspc@verizon.net

Gene.jpg

Feel free to come by and meet us!