The Rev. Dr. Kenneth E. Claus, pastor of Zion United Church of Christ, Lehighton, has submitted his resignation effective Jan. 15 of next year.

Rev. Claus, who has served the church since April 1980, has accepted the position of new senior minister of Faith Church, Park Forest, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.

Faith is one of the largest congregations in the United Church of Christ and has a staff of several associate ministers.

A native of Rochester, N.Y., Rev. Claus previously served in Saugus, Fall River and Brookline, Mass., and as a chaplain at Bristol Community College.