Amos K. Stern Scholarships

Amos K. Stern was born April 2, 1912, near Roaring Spring in Blair County. As the youngest of seven children born to Rev. Aaron and Catherine Stern, he spent his childhood days growing up on a farm and attending the local schools through tenth grade.

In the fall of 1928, Amos left the friendly confines of home and traveled off to Grantham and Messiah Academy to continue his educational endeavors in a Christian environment. He met, learned to know, and studied with other young people who shared similar religious values. To broaden his educational experiences, he participated in the Miltonian Literary Society (chaplain), Missionary Circle, Young Peoples Christian Association, Men's Chorus, and Mixed Chorus.

After graduating in May 1930, he returned home to work on his parents' farm. For the next five years, Amos helped his dad and brothers till their farms, always with the objective of owning his own farm one day. Eventually, he would own his farm, raising hogs and cattle. And, like his father, his cash crop was potatoes. Amos was engaged in farming until 1971.

January 1, 1935, was a milestone day for that was the day Amos and Verna Marie Stoner married at his parents' house. Slightly more than 53 years later that marriage ended with his death January 16th, 1989. Beginning farming, getting married, and starting a family all in the 1930s required some serious resources. And, apparently desiring a large family to help with the farming, many children became a blessing. A daughter was born in November 1935, a son two years later, and eventually a total of eight children by 1949.

As a young boy and young man, Amos worked alongside his dad in farming and sat in church where he was influenced by his dad's preaching. Somewhere along the way he began to think about the ministry himself. Amos felt a call to the ministry, but not until after his father and one of his sons died in 1944. He was licensed as a minister in 1949 and became the pastor at Eight Square Chapel. Eight Square Chapel was 15 miles from the family farm, yet Amos and his family traveled there and back every Sunday morning and evening, every Wednesday evening, and every night for two weeks annually for revival services. Additionally, he and Verna, usually weekly, would visit parishioners in their homes or, if sick, in the hospital. During revival meetings, the evangelist stayed in their home. Amos was ordained to the ministry in 1952. While Amos pastored for eight years at Eight Square, his children taught Sunday School classes, taught Bible School, played the piano, provided special music, etc. For the next 10 years, he served in short term capacities at various churches in west central Pennsylvania.

Other pastorates followed at Canoe Creek Brethren in Christ Church (four years) and in the Free Methodist denomination at Brookville, Dubois, and Franklin, Pennsylvania (a total of 10 years). He was faithful in attending denominational conferences, both regional and general, and Roxbury Camp meetings. Amos retired from the ministry in 1977, having served a total of 28 years.

Amos valued learning both the Bible and secular subjects. Three sermons per week demanded considerable study and prayer. Studying, reading the Bible, praying, and bettering oneself through education were his priorities, both for himself and his children. Balancing preaching, farming, and fatherhood was no easy task. Finances were limited (He joked that his pastoral pay was directly related to the amount he placed in the offering plate.). Yet, he believed his children should follow in his footsteps to Messiah Academy. The first four of his children graduated from the Academy by the time it closed in 1960. He, his children, and their spouses spent a total of 12 years at the Academy. The legacy continued at Messiah College. Amos' children and their spouses and his grandchildren and their spouses studied at Messiah College for a total of 39 years. Currently, a great grandson is a freshman at Messiah.

What a legacy to pass on to subsequent generations. Amos valued honesty and integrity, hard work and frugality, humility and forgiveness, family relationships and a lifetime commitment to one's spouse. Daily prayer, Bible reading, and, of utmost importance, one's relationship to God, were exemplified in his daily life.

Amos K. Stern, the youngest of seven and father of seven surviving children, graduate of Messiah Academy, minister, farmer, inspirer, role model, and child of God, penned these words to his children in a letter to them about one year prior to his death: "My ambition was to read the Bible and pray each day. The real satisfaction in life I believe is summed up in the book of Ecclesiastes, 'Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man.'" To honor him and the life he lived and to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth, we his children and spouses give these scholarships in his name to two 2012-2013 seniors who plan to continue their education at seminaries and then to enter the ministry for lifetime vocations.