STONE HARBOR – With a “long history” of family in Cape May County and relatives on “almost all the islands except Stone Harbor,” the Rev. Rachel Semovoski made family history as the new pastor of Our Saviour Lutheran Church.
In her post, she becomes the first in her family to live on Seven Mile Island, with her husband, the Rev. Joshua Semovoski and their 5-year-old daughter, Samantha.
“My maiden name was Elliott,” Semovoski said recounting her family’s history in the county. “There’s a long history of our family in the county, with relatives in Wildwood, Ocean City, Wildwood Crest and North Cape May. In fact, we have a road named after us in North Cape May, and I could show you where the family farm was.”
While assuming the pastor position is “coming home to her roots,” Semovoski said the congregation in Stone Harbor was very appealing to her because it is “very steady, very welcoming and outward thinking.”
She succeeds Rev. Glenn Schoenberger, who retired after 34 years at the pulpit of the church.
“We actually had a whole month of overlap so Pastor Glenn could show me the ropes,” Semovoski said. “I got to know the congregation a little bit, and it’s been a wonderful experience so far. Even though it’s just been about a month that I’ve been here, I feel like I’ve been here for a while because the congregation is so embracing and welcoming.”
Semovoski, who grew up on Long Beach Island, said she grew up a pastor’s child and has always been involved with church activities, including teaching confirmation and other youth activities.
Her father is pastor at the Cape May Lutheran Church, and an uncle is a Baptist minister in Wildwood.
“I thought I was going to be a teacher,” she recalled, “but I remember going into my father’s office and telling him that I was going to go to seminary. He asked me if I was sure, and I said yes. I wanted to teach people about God, and the special relationship you can have with your faith and what your faith can be.
“My father wanted me to be sure because sometimes people fight the call,” she noted. “It can be a very challenging profession because you are with people all the time. You are with them during the happy times like weddings and baptisms, and you are there at the sad times, such as funerals or other hardships. You always have to be present when people need you.”
Semovoski said she was one of two Fund for Leaders scholarship recipients when she attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg.
She was the youngest ordained person when she graduated four years later. It was during her time at the seminary that she met her future husband, Joshua, who is a pastor helping in Dennis Township.
Upon graduation, she served a parish in Maryland and Middletown, before arriving in Stone Harbor. There are usually about 100 people in attendance for Sunday worship at the Stone Harbor church, she said, although they experience an influx during the summer months.
“They just did a renovation of the parsonage and I have to say this is the best church housing I’ve ever lived in,” Semovoski said. She plans to have an open house, scheduled for Jan. 14, to show the parsonage and meet the congregation.
“I’m trying to learn as much as I can about the congregation and all their activities,” she said. “If something is working, I don’t want to take it away. I’d like to think of ways to make it better, by adding on or building on to what we have currently.
“I’d like to see more involvement with the schools, and try to get younger families involved, do a little more community outreach,” she continued. “My thought is that we’ll get through the Christmas season and see what we have, and then look into how we can make things better.”
In the meantime, she and her family are familiarizing themselves with the area.
Already, Semovoski and her husband sang with the community choir during a holiday concert at Congress Hall. “With a daughter in kindergarten, I think we’ll be busy, but I love old movies and love to do Zumba,” the pastor said. “I’m hoping you’ll see me around doing that.
“I also like the beach, especially during the off-season when it’s so quiet,” she added. “I like to hear the quiet, and listen to the waves.”
To contact Karen Knight, email kknight@cmcherald.com.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
