Sharon Clark
Years ago, Sharon Clark and her husband, Greg, were looking for a UCC church in the Harrisburg area.
“I grew up attending Zion UCC in York,” Sharon explained. “Our son, Alan, was in second grade at the time, and when we walked into the sanctuary, he already knew someone. It was Mr. (Tom) Bay – his gym teacher!”
Sharon took that – along with the warm, friendly greetings her family received from the Lubolds and the Greenawalds – as a good sign. Shortly after, the Clarks became CPUCC members.
We all know what it’s like coming into a new unknown situation. Sharon was no different. She grew up in a smaller church where everyone knew her. Suddenly she was in a new church where everyone wasn’t so familiar.
“That changed when I was asked to join the bell choir and the newly formed YAMS (Young Adult, Married and Singles) Sunday School class,” she said.
Since then, Sharon’s involvement at CPUCC has only grown. She still plays in the bell choir and attends adult Sunday School where she has also taught. But that’s just the beginning. Sharon has served on Council various times as an Adult Faith Development deacon, an External Mission deacon, a Stewardship deacon, and currently as Vice President. She is sometimes lay reader or liturgist and has even preached a sermon for Women’s Sunday.
When her children were in the youth program, Sharon helped as a youth advisor. She regularly attends the Women’s Spirituality group and has participated in many women’s retreats. On top of that, she is a reader at Foose Elementary and has often served at Downtown Daily Bread. Sharon has even been on many of the church’s mission trips to Tennessee.
Sharon and Greg met while they were students at Lock Haven University. They married and raised two sons, Andrew and Alan, who are 13 years apart in age. The couple were married for almost 43 years before Greg passed away.
“After Greg’s death, I spent a long time working through my grief and rebuilding my faith. I still came to church, but I couldn’t read the words or sing the hymns because I wasn’t sure what I believed anymore,” Sharon said. “What kept me coming were the people at CPUCC. Sometimes I would leave the service and not feel like speaking to anyone, but I still knew their love and support were there for me. And when I felt like talking, there were those who did not hesitate to listen. I am not sure how I would have gotten through that dark time without the support of my CPUCC family. I will always be grateful that CPUCC is where we chose to grow our faith.”
Sharon retired seven years ago after working for most of her career as an Information Technology manager for the PA Department of Education – both in database administration and application development.
However, she is not sitting down. Sharon enjoys spending time with her family which includes six grandchildren. Alan and his family live on Long Island while Andrew and his family are local.
Before Greg’s passing, the couple dreamt of traveling and camping across the country. They were able to enjoy extended trips to South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Florida, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Carolina. Sharon continues to camp in her motor home, staying closer to home. As a nature lover, she loves hiking, biking, and just being outdoors. She is also an avid skier too!
“Nature has always inspired me by the way everything connects together,” she said. “It’s where I often see and feel God the most. When I am distressed, a walk in the woods never fails to uplift me.”
When asked if there was something people may be surprised to know about her, Sharon told the story of how, as a math education major in college, she did part of her student teaching at the Antwerp International School in Belgium.
“I took many years of French in high school and college and had wanted to student teach in Paris. Since that was too expensive, I was sent to Antwerp instead, where unfortunately they speak Dutch, not French. The school was for English and American students, so I did not have to teach math in a foreign language,” she laughed.
Sharon Clark’s life experiences and commitment to contributing in so many ways, have made her an invaluable friend and blessing to everyone at Colonial Park UCC.
April 2025
Meet other members of Colonial Park United Church of Christ by clicking HERE.
