Pastor Duane Boyer, left, new pastor of the Independent Bible Church, Duryea, stands with outgoing pastor, Pastor Emeritus Al Cremard.
Photo courtesy of Katie Kollmeyer
Left to right: Pastor Emeritus Al Cremard, Darlene Cremard, Sharon Boyer, Pastor Duane Boyer, Staff Evangelist Shane Kollmeyer and Katie Kollmeyer.
Photo courtesy of Katie Kollmeyer
Duane Boyer was installed as the new pastor of the Independent Bible Church, Duryea. He takes over for the longstanding pastor, Al Cremard. Left to right: Sharon Boyer, Pastor Duane Boyer, Pastor Emeritus Al Cremard and Darlene Cremard.
Photo courtesy of Katie Kollmeyer
Independent Bible Church Pastor Duane Boyer is shown with the Deacon Board of the Independent Bible Church. Left to right: Dr. E. Allan Griffith and board members, Art Searfoss, Steve Mudlock, Ben Russo, Mike Goble, Mike Parrent, Dave Tribe and Staff Evangelist Shane Kollmeyer.
Photo courtesy of Katie Kollmeyer
Pastor Duane Boyer during his installation of the Independent Bible Church, Duryea.
Photo courtesy of Katie Kollmeyer
DURYEA – The Independent Bible Church (IBC) of Duryea, after doing a nationwide search for several years, recently installed of a new senior pastor for the first time in more than 45 years.
Pastor Duane Boyer has taken over for the retiring Albert Cremard. Cremard will now hold the title of pastor emeritus.
In a ceremony on Nov. 1, Dr. E. Allen Griffith, a guest pastor, installed Boyer at IBC where the church’s seven deacons, who served on the pulpit committee, offered prayers of thanksgiving to God for Boyer and his family. IBC has been in existence for more than 120 years, focusing on the Word of God and Bible studies.
“Pastor’s (Boyer) responsibility is to preach the Word, magnify the Lord, and love the people,” Dr. Griffith said.
Pastor Boyer and his family have never been to Northeastern Pennsylvania, but are happy with the decision they made in coming to Duryea church. The Boyers purchased property in Harding.
“We love where we are at, we know the Lord brought us here and we know the Lord provided a home,” Boyer said. “I know we haven’t met too many people outside the church yet with just moving and because of COVID, but I’m still getting to know the area and my wife and girls are getting used to it and like the uniqueness of this area.”
Boyer, 48, his wife, Sharon, and three children – Lauren, 22, Jenna, 18, and Emily, 13 – relocated from Ashville, North Carolina, were he served as a youth pastor for the last 21 years as well as a Bible teacher and coach.
Boyer, no stranger to Pennsylvania being born in Lancaster, has dedicated his life to full-time ministry by the end of his senior year in high school. He is a graduate of Pensacola Christian College, Florida, where his worship style is Biblical, Traditional, and Conservative.
“I was told by an evangelist two or three years ago when we get to the right person, we’ll know it,” Steve Mudlock, IBC deacon, said. “When the pieces of the puzzle starting coming together, you could see the Lord was in it; what a family, to me God said, this is the one you want and we’re totally thrilled.”
Cremard has lead IBC for the last 45 years. When he started, there were only six people were attending services. At the height of Cremard’s tenure, the church congregation grew to 224. Today, Boyer will shepherd approximately 100 members.
As pastor, Cremard led his flock by holding 35 lady’s seminars, men’s retreats, visitation programs, youth programs and activities, clothing drives, and Vacation Bible School for both adults and children.
Cremard will still be involved with activities at IBC, assisting Boyer wherever he is needed as well as organizing trips to Lancaster County and conducting senior Bible studies.
Evangelist Shane Kollmeyer and his wife, Katie, will support Boyer. The Kollmeyers will enhance church services through music, preaching and teaching.
