Paul Smeltz was born November 19, 1949 in Gordonville, Lancaster County and is a graduate of Pequea Valley High School. He has one older sister. During his youth, he played soccer and worked with his father in his auto-body business. Many people expected he would take over the family business, but Pastor had dreams of joining the US Navy to become a Naval air pilot. He enrolled at Elizabethtown College and majored in psychology. He still had his mind on flying airplanes, but discovered the Lord was directing his path to another way. He changed his major to religion and philosophy and by his junior year at E-town, Pastor made the decision to become a minister.

Pastor met his wife Holly at Elizabethtown college.  Because of her father's work in civil engineering, Holly's family moved quite frequently from state to state. It is interesting that the family finally settled in Harrisburg and Holly decided on Elizabethtown for her post high school education. She and Pastor met and their relationship grew.

Pastor graduated from college in 1971, but Holly still had her senior year to finish.   To stay close to Holly, Pastor stayed in the area and worked at M&M Mars until his wife-to-be finished her degree in Business Management and Marketing. They were married on January 29, 1972, during a huge snow storm.

Pastor and Holly moved to Columbia, South Carolina, so Paul could attend Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. For his third year of seminary, they relocated to Los Angeles, CA, for an internship. Holly was pregnant with their first child Heather - now 29 and married in Albany, NY - when they drove cross country to return to South Carolina for Paul's senior year in seminary.

After graduation, they relocated to Pennsylvania, where Paul answered his first call in Altoona, serving two years. He answered his second call in Akron, PA at Zion Lutheran. The couple's second child, Chris - now 26, married and living in Neffsville, PA - was born during this time.

After five years at Akron, Pastor took a leave and enrolled in a two year Clinical Pastoral Education program at Hershey Medical Center.

His ministry then took a new direction. Spang Crest, Lebanon, needed a chaplain and Paul answered that call for the next four years. He then became Director of Pastoral Services at Lutheran Social Services for nine years.

His next position was Vice-President of Luther Acres in Lititz for three years. He was then named Senior Vice President of Programs for Luther Care where he was second in command and the Chief Operating Officer, responsible for 500 people and the overall operation of the organization.

After three years as Senior Vice President, Pastor Paul knew it was time to serve the Lord in another capacity, but was not quite sure that that would be. Pastor Hoyer was retiring from Holy Trinity of Lebanon after 32 years at the end of December 2003 and the congregation of that church was restless with what change would mean. As usual, God already had answers in place; by the middle of January 2004, God's plan was put into action and Pastor Paul became the Interim Pastor at Holy Trinity where he helped to revitalize the youth program and, after serious analyzing it, revamped the Christian Education Program.

Paul began his service as Pastor of Muddy Creek on September 1, 2005.  He is looking forward to the return of the use of Lutheran Sunday Church School materials.  He enjoys being a part of the Confirmation Program and believes in including lay people in the format.  He is committed to visiting the sick and shut-ins and taking communion to them and likes having a member of the congregation accompany him on these visits. In times of crisis, he comforts those in need by helping them reflect upon their faith and apply it to their lives.

Pastor and Holly are past members of Zion Lutheran in Leola, PA.   Holly has been Teller Team Leader at the Bank of Lancaster County for 19 years.