Evangelical Congregational Church
About Us



Rev. J. Ted Rathman

Pastor J. Ted Rathman began his pastoral ministry at Grace EC Church, Schuylkill Haven in July 2013. Ted is originally from Reamstown, located in Lancaster County, PA. His parents, Ken and Bonnie Rathman, reside there. Ted also has 3 siblings and 7 nieces and nephews.

Ted was commissioned from his home church, St. Paul's EC Church, Reamstown where he attended all this life and where his grandfather John H. Bixler pastored from 1954 5o 1961. Ted and his wife Jessica, and daughter Lily moved to Schuylkill Haven in 2013 where they have since added to their family with their daughter Leah Grace Rathman arriving in June of 2014.

After graduating from Cocalico High School, Ted served in the US Navy for 4 years. His first duty station was in Norfolk, VA on the USS Enterprise (CVN65), and upon completeing Operation Specialist "A" School in Virginia Beach, VA he served three years on the Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58) in Mayport, FL. When Ted was honorably discharged in 2004 he returned to his hometown in Reamstown in order to attend Penn State Berks Campus as an International Studies major. it was at this point in his life that he felt a call to ministry. After graduating from Penn State with honors, Ted began his studies at Evangelical Seminary in Myerstown, wehre he graduated from the Masters of Divinity program with honors in May 2012.

Ted has served on the Global Ministries Community as a board member since he entered the denomination as lead pastor at Grace EC Church. Ted's first experience with missions was through his youth group at St. Paul's and became an important and formative part of his life. Ted's heart for missions continued through his time int he US Navy, his studies at Penn State, and the opportunities to lead mission trips as a youth leader. In 2013 Ted traveled with a GMC delegation to Nepal to celebrate EC Church Nepal's 10 year anniversary. Ted also served as the chair of the GMC taskforce which studied the future role, responsibilities, and staffing of the Global Ministries Community as it transitioned from a Commission based structure into the new "Community" based model.

Most recently, Ted led a GMC team to Nicaragua to assess the ministry of our newest EC missionary Dan Quigley. Ted is excited and honored to follow the great leadership of Rev. Randy Sizemore in leading the GMC to continue his work of encouraging and inspiring the EC Church USA to be engaged in God's global vision and mission in reaching the ends of the earth with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Global Ministries Community