The congregation of St. John Lutheran Church, Jim Thorpe, witnessed the installation of the Rev. Lester E. Stephenson as its new pastor.

The Reading man, 27, is a graduate of the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg, and also studied at the Lutheran House of Studies, Washington, D.C. He was installed by the Rev. Daniel Eckert, dean of the Hazleton-Lehighton District of the NE PA Synod.He succeeds the Rev. William J. Leifeld, who served the church for 29 years before retiring in September 1973.