HARRY L. SERIO:
550 West Spring Street, Fleetwood PA, 19522
home: 610. 944.7032 cell: 610. 780.8367
hlserio@aol.com
EDUCATION:
 

B.A., Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA., (History major, classics minor) 1963
Undergraduate Thesis in archaeology: The Royal Tomb at Gordium

M. Div., Lancaster Theological Seminary, Lancaster, PA, 1966 Thesis: The Secularization of Damnation: The Meaning of Existence in the Works of Tennessee Williams

D. Min., Lancaster Theological Seminary, Lancaster, PA, 1992
Dissertation: Mysticism and Ministry: A Descriptive Inquiry Into the Varieties of Mystical Experiences Among United Church of Christ People in Berks County, Pennsylvania
ORDINATION:
  St. Stephan’s United Church of Christ, Newark, New Jersey Southern New Jersey Association, Central Atlantic Conference, 1966
CHURCHES SERVED:
  Mt. Zion United Church of Christ, Martins Creek, PA (PNEC), 1966-1970
  Zion United Church of Christ, Womelsdorf, PA (PSEC), 1970-1976
  St. John’s United Church of Christ, Kutztown, PA (PSEC), 1976-2008
  Christ Church United Church of Christ, Temple, PA (PSEC), 2009-present
SERVICE TO THE WIDER CHURCH: (Partial list)
  Saucony Cross Apartments Board of Directors, vice-president, 1986-present
  Spirit on Tap, creator and chair, 2008-present
  Lancaster Theological Seminary, Board of Trustees, 2007-present
COMMUNITY SERVICE:
 

Berks Arts Council Board of Directors, 1991-present

  • President-1993-1995
  • Festival chair, Berks Jazz Fest, 1993-2000,
  • Berks Jazz Fest Committee, 1993-present
  • Berks Film Festival, chair, 2007
  New Arts Program, Kutztown, Board of Directors
  Kutztown University President’s Roundtable on Alcohol and Other Drugs, co-chair, 1996-present
  Kutztown Folk Festival; daily lectures on The Spirituality of the Pennsylvania Germans.
ACADEMIC ORGANIZATIONS:
 

Academy for Spiritual and Consiousness Studies, Inc.,
President - 2006-2012
Articles published:

  • The Afterlife in the Hebrew-Greek Scriptures,1999
  • The Celtic Mystic Tradition in a Postmodern Age, 2002
  • Liminality at the Time of Death: Transitions of the Soul as a Rite of Passage, 2008
AWARDS:
  Allan S. Meck Award for Excellence in Ministry, Lancaster Theological Seminary, 2000
  Caron Foundation Clergy of the Year Award, 2003
OTHER INTERESTS:
  Biblical Archaeology - participated in excavations at City of David, Jerusalem, 1983; Ein Yael, Rephaim Valley, 1985. Conducted archaeological tours to Israel and Egypt. Celtic Spirituality - lectures and workshops, conducted tours to Scotland and Ireland
OTHER EXPERIENCES:
  Taught Latin and Social Studies in the Lancaster and Easton, PA school systems
  Regional organizer for first Earth Day
  Integrated comprehensive arts program in worship at St. John’s UCC, Kutztown, including jazz worship; Soul Cabaret (program endowed by the Pennsylvania Partners for the Arts that features cross-cultural music and dance groups); Soul Café (weekly salon-type discussions on art cinema, spiritual exploration, the poetic image and political and social issues).
FAMILY:
  Married to the former Mary Ann Kocsi, retired instructor in piano. Children: Stuart (orchestral music librarian); Tasha (registered nurse); and Matthew (Program Director, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts)