Leaving a Legacy of Love & Hope

When he was 8 years old, Rev. A. Preston Van Deursen lived in an inner-city row house in Philadelphia. He was smoking and stealing and had a difficult childhood. Fortunately, Preston’s grandfather was a Mason and was able to place Preston and his sisters in the Masonic Children’s Home.

“The children’s home kept me safe, off the streets and out of an unhealthy family situation,” he said. “It gave me an opportunity. I played high school sports. It was the best thing that ever happened to me. My life had a chance.”

More than 30 years later, Preston returned to the Masonic Children’s Home, this time not to reap the benefits of charity, but to give something back. The little boy-turned-pastor was there to bury Russell Trimmer, the former superintendent of the children’s home. He also cared for Mrs. Trimmer during her final year.

“It felt like the circle had been completed,” he said. Recently, Masonic Village at Elizabethtown celebrated Preston and his wife, Brenda, for their combined contributions to the organizations as the couple formally retired. Youth from the children’s home presented him with gifts and showered him with love.

Brenda had worked at Masonic Village for 26 years, most recently as executive assistant to the executive director. Preston had worked at Masonic Village for 28 years, most recently as director of spiritual care. He is a member of the

Ashara-Casiphia Lodge No. 551, Mount Joy, and serves as a Grand Chaplain for the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

“I’m ready for a break – it’s time,” Preston said. “We are headed to Florida for a sixmonth sabbatical, and we are going to be snowbirds,” Preston said. “We’ve also moved to Gettysburg, where we’ll be living in a 50-plus community. We’re excited and everything should be good going forward. ”

Beginning his service at Masonic Village as associate pastor, Preston and his young family lived for a few years on the children’s home campus, just down the road from where he grew up. Preston and Brenda bought a house in Elizabethtown, but eventually returned to campus again for another 10 years.

Prior to the children’s home, Preston served as pastor at a Lutheran church in Bellefontaine, Ohio, and as a pastorat-large for another church. As the executive director of the local Lutheran social services, he founded two soup kitchens that still serve hundreds of people a day.

While in Ohio, he also met Brenda, and the couple have been married 39 years.

Preston earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Lenoir Rhyne University in North Carolina. He then spent four years at Lutheran Southern Seminary in

South Carolina, where he earned his Master of Divinity degree.

When he came to the children’s home as a youth, Preston cared for his sisters and became a leader among the boys of his age group. He had a keen interest in other people, and the younger boys often brought their problems to him.

The day he left the children’s home, at age 17, Preston had nothing but his suitcase to take with him. Now, children are encouraged to go to college and the children’s home helps pay for it, Preston said.

“Now they tutor you, and most of the kids are on the Honor Roll,” he said. “It was run more like a military school when I was there, as opposed to all the opportunities the kids have now. I’ve been blessed that we’re able to be a part of their lives in a small way.”

At Masonic Village, Preston performed about five religious services a week, as well as funeral services and occasional wedding ceremonies for employees, residents and friends. He also visited the sick in local hospitals, attended meetings with family members and residents, talked to residents who were depressed and comforted relatives of deceased residents.

In 1999, upon the retirement of the Rev. Charles Lacquement, Preston was promoted to director of pastoral care. Over the next decade, he greatly expanded the department’s ministry, both in scope and in size, to accommodate the campus’ growth.

While regular church services were conducted in the John S. Sell Memorial Chapel and the Masonic Health Care Center, Preston continually heard from residents who had moved to Elizabethtown from out of area and missed having a “church home.”

Preston then led the formation of the Congregation of Sell Chapel, a nondenominational church body comprised mainly of Masonic Village residents, although staff and community members were welcome to join. In 2004, the congregation’s first 200 charter members were received. Today, the membership is about 400.

“There are people from the community who are members,” he said. “We are very active in Elizabethtown. That’s really important. We try to help all the nonprofit agencies in the community financially.”

What Preston enjoyed most about his job was the interaction with people. “I won’t miss working all the time, but I’ll miss the people,” he said. “Before I left, I was named Pastor Emeritus, so I’m still part of the staff. When I come back in June, I’ll be working part-time again as associate of pastoral care.”

Looking back, Preston said he never imagined the path his life would take. As a child, he remembered thinking church was boring. That was until he came across a pastor who was down to earth, liked to joke around and modeled his faith in a non-judgmental manner.

“For a guy from Philadelphia from the wrong side of the tracks, to hear that God loves you and cares for you ... That it’s not what we do, but what God does for us … if ever there was a guy who fit that theology, it was me. I found my family in church.”

Preston’s real family today is a stark contrast to the dysfunctional life he endured as a young child. His daughters, Ashley and Allison, and his son, Aaron, have all worked at Masonic Village in different capacities, giving back to the organization that made their lives possible.

“I’m truly a lucky man,” he said.

Effective Jan. 15, 2023, Masonic Village at Elizabethtown announced the promotion of the Rev. Deborah Valiton-Carnish, as the new director of spiritual care. Rev. Deborah has been part of the spiritual care team for nine years. We welcome her new leadership!