Pastor

Rev. Harper Brady

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be
ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) This is the verse that my
parents wrote on the dedication page of the first Bible they gave me when I was a young boy. I kept
that Bible for many years until it finally fell apart, but the verse is still an inherent part of who I am.

I have been blessed by God to be one of his own, saved by grace through my Lord Jesus Christ. And
as I look back over more than 50 years of life on this earth thus far, I see his hand upon my life. I
was blessed to be born into a wonderful Christian family. My parents were life-long Presbyterian
missionaries in Japan, and my 3 sisters, 2 brothers, and I (we were the “Brady Bunch” before TV
invented one) were always surrounded by God’s love through our parents. As a teenager, I made a
personal decision to accept Christ as my Savior, and I have sought to follow him ever since.

I attended King College, a Presbyterian liberal arts college in Bristol, Tennessee, and soon after
graduation married Maggie, my “college sweetheart.” We have enjoyed 34 years of wonderful
marriage together. We have two married sons, two grandsons and two granddaughters.

After college, I worked for 4 years as a social worker in Atlanta, Georgia, before responding to God’s
call to enter the ministry. I attended Columbia Theological Seminary, graduating in 1987, and
took my first call in a two-church field in a small town in East Tennessee. In December 1989 I
accepted the call to the Concord Presbyterian Church in Baden, Pennsylvania, where I served for
just over 20 years. In my ministry God has used the combination of my gifts of preaching and
pastoral care, coupled with a passion for mission, to lead his people to a greater health in the
kingdom of God. I look for God to continue using those same gifts and passions as we serve him
together at Hillcrest.

In addition to enjoying my family, I also enjoy the out of doors. For many years I have helped lead
groups of pastors on wilderness expeditions including canoing and backpacking. I’ve seen the
ground from way up in the air, having voluntarily left a “perfectly good airplane” on both my 40th
and 50th birthdays for a thrilling sky dive. I also enjoy walks on the golf course, which often end
up as walks in the woods (I have a pretty mean slice). I enjoy music, particularly singing, and have
sung barbershop for a number of years, including as part of a quartet that has presented the
National Anthem at PNC Park for 3 years. More sedately, I can also sit in a chair and enjoy
working crossword puzzles, Sudoku, reading, and even an occasional nap.

All in all, I consider my life to be a gift from God, an adventure that has challenges as well as joys.
As long as I am faithful to that verse my parents gave me, I know that I will have God’s blessing and
fulfillment. I look forward to continuing that adventure with God as I serve him at Hillcrest United
Presbyterian Church.