Rev. Walt Pietschmann
Rev. Walt grew up outside of Philadelphia, PA in Downingtown. He attended First Presbyterian Church of West Chester as a child, teen and young adult. He graduated in 1982 from Downingtown High School, now known as Downingtown West and attended West Chester University and graduated from there in 1986 with a B.A. Degree in Speech Communication. He moved westward to Pittsburgh, PA to attend seminary right after college and graduated with a M. Div. Degree in 1986.
He was the summer evangelist for Pottstown Presbyterian Church in 1987, student pastor for New Lexington and Roseville Presbyterian Churches in 1988-1989, associate pastor for First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood from 1990-1994, hospice chaplain for Hospice Care of Pittsburgh and Odyssey from 1994-2000, English-speaking pastor for the Korean Church of Pittsburgh 1994-1996, owned a used bookstore from 1997-2001, pastor of Leetsdale Presbyterian Church 1997-2007, pastor of Olivet Presbyterian Church from 2007-2011, and began his pastorate at Bethesda in 2012. He has also done extensive studies in Organizational Leadership through Geneva College. He has served as a church consultant for small churches, and has been a local, regional and national speaker on such topics as Spiritual Care, Bereavement, Children's Ministries, and Church Transformation.
Rev. Walt is passionate about the church, reading, writing, travelling, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, singing, crafting, his family and his chickens - Speckles, Tails, Domino, Goldilocks, Dragon's Roost, and Shadow Chicken. (They were named by his neighbor's young sons.)
He was the summer evangelist for Pottstown Presbyterian Church in 1987, student pastor for New Lexington and Roseville Presbyterian Churches in 1988-1989, associate pastor for First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood from 1990-1994, hospice chaplain for Hospice Care of Pittsburgh and Odyssey from 1994-2000, English-speaking pastor for the Korean Church of Pittsburgh 1994-1996, owned a used bookstore from 1997-2001, pastor of Leetsdale Presbyterian Church 1997-2007, pastor of Olivet Presbyterian Church from 2007-2011, and began his pastorate at Bethesda in 2012. He has also done extensive studies in Organizational Leadership through Geneva College. He has served as a church consultant for small churches, and has been a local, regional and national speaker on such topics as Spiritual Care, Bereavement, Children's Ministries, and Church Transformation.
Rev. Walt is passionate about the church, reading, writing, travelling, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, singing, crafting, his family and his chickens - Speckles, Tails, Domino, Goldilocks, Dragon's Roost, and Shadow Chicken. (They were named by his neighbor's young sons.)