NARBERTH — If the minister at the United Methodist Church of Narberth looks familiar, it may be that the last time you saw her she stuck a thermometer in your mouth, zapped you with a hypodermic needle, or took your blood pressure.
The Rev. Charlene Gaspar, pastor of the church, is, besides being a Methodist minister, a registered nurse who has worked in the Bryn Mawr Hospital's family practice unit since 1973. She is still on the payroll, but only works there occasionally.
"My first obligation is as a full-time minister," said Mrs. Gaspar.
Mrs. Gaspar, 49, is the mother of three grown children. She lives in Wayne with her husband of 28 years, Ruben Gaspar.
She was ordained after graduating from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in May 1992 and became the first female pastor of the 101-year-old congregation in July 1993.
Her first order of business was to reinstate the Sunday school.
"They stopped it about a year and a half ago," she said, "because of a lack of children. But I think we all need Sunday school, so we opened it up to adults, too, and now we average about 25 children and adults every Sunday."
Mrs. Gaspar said she had always felt a call to a life of service. After she graduated from nursing school, she considered being a missionary, but love intervened.
"I met my husband," she said, "and even though he's very attached to the church, the missionary life wasn't for him."
Once her children were grown, the time was right to answer the call.
For two years, she was an assistant pastor at Gladwyne Methodist Church.
"I knew about 90 percent of the congregation," said Mrs. Gaspar, ''because they were my patients and I wrestled with, 'Am I their pastor or their nurse?' "
It's a question she still struggles with, but she says the church is full of people who need healing of both their body and their soul.
"With medicine there is a hands-on connection," said Mrs. Gaspar, "and I find being both a nurse who helps to heal physical problems and a minister who tries to solve spiritual dilemmas, a very profound experience."
Birthdate: Feb. 14, 1944.
Birthplace: Cheltenham.
Family: Husband, Ruben Gaspar; children: Ruben Jr. (Ben), 27; Becky, 25, Jennifer, 22.
Education: Cheltenham High School; Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing; Eastern College; Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Community activities: Hosting international students.
Credo for activism: To share one's self with others in a way that will reflect God's love. Be who you are and celebrate the gifts that God has given you.
Job: Pastor.
Length of time in job: Five months.
Likes best about job: Diversity.
Likes least: Pushing papers. Lack of time to do everything.
Dream job: Missionary work in Venezuela.
What did you want to be growing up: Veterinarian.
Favorite food: Chocolate.
Favorite drink: Diet Coke.
Last movie seen in theater: "Back to the Future III."
Last book read: "From Generation to Generation."
Favorite music: Oldies but goodies from the '60s.
Last vacation: Trip to Israel and the Holy Land in January of this year.
Car: An '86 Voyager van "that's trying to die on me."
Dream car: A minivan that's reliable.
Hobbies: Stamp and coin collecting; photography.
Favorite sport: Watching baseball; backyard basketball.
Favorite sports team: Phillies.
Proudest moment: Her ordination with all her family around her, including her two sisters.
Favorite quotation: "All things are possible through Christ."
