Pastor Ed Vasicek

Pastor Ed was reared in the Chicago area. He became a born-again believer in January 1974 during his senior year of high school when a friend who worked on the school newspaper shared the Gospel with Ed. Although he was raised Roman Catholic and knew many of the facts of the Gospel, he came to realize that he could not get to heaven by proper behavior. It was through the work of Christ alone that he could be made right with God. All he had to do was hold God to His Word. God promised eternal life to those who put their faith in Christ, and Ed took Him up on the offer!

Although Ed did not know his future wife, Marylu, at the time, a few months earlier in the fall of 1973 friends at work shared the Good News with her.  She read Billy Graham's book Peace With God and also trusted in the work of Christ alone for her salvation.

When it came to career choices, Ed was interested in journalism, but it was a difficult field in which to find a job. He decided to pursue his second choice, electronics. As Ed was completing his Associates of Applied Science degree in Electronics, he sensed a definite call into the pastoral ministry. He completed his electronics degree in the spring of 1976 and began Pastoral Studies at Moody Bible Institute that fall. He graduated with a B.A. from Moody in the spring of 1979 and, at the age of 22, took his first pastorate, Victory Bible Church of Chicago.

Ed pastored the Victory Bible Church for four and a half years.  It was during this time that Ed began dating and then married Marylu Troppito.  Ed and Marylu moved to Kokomo in late 1983, where Ed assumed the pastorate here at Highland Park Church. Since that time, Ed and Marylu have been blessed with two children, Hannah and Luke.

Marylu graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with pottery as her specialty. She then took a one-year course at Moody Bible Institute geared for college graduates at that time called the Advanced Studies Program. She still does some pottery and other artwork, but she is mainly occupied by her job as a paraprofessional in the Kokomo School Corporation. Ed and Marylu enjoy ballroom dancing.

As a result of their exposure to many ethnic groups, the Vasiceks often sampled cuisine from around the world. Marylu was the main cook in the family for about 27 years, while Ed cooked soups and stews on weekends. But when Marylu began working as a teacher's aide, Ed offered to take over the meal prep. Since then, his cooking skills and interest have exploded. Since Ed has a heart stent, cooking is always low cholesterol.

Since 1999, Ed has authored a weekly editorial, which appears on the Opinion Page of the Kokomo Tribune and is mostly secular in nature. Over 500 of his columns addressing numerous issues have been published. Ed puts it this way: "My goal in writing these articles is to demonstrate that Christians can think about many things, not just abortion or gay marriage. Christians need to demonstrate that we have positive ideas and a cohesive philosophy of life—proposing ideas rather than just opposing. This can help create a positive environment for discussing the claims of Christ." His community involvement includes serving on the Board of Directors for the Kokomo Park Band.

Ed has a number of hobbies, including reading, cooking, collecting remakes of 1920s and 30s music, stamp collecting, and jokes. He confesses to being a Three Stooges fan. On the serious side, Ed tries to stay abreast of the latest theological trends and challenges to the faith. Checkout Ed's personal website: Ed Vasicek's Oasis: From the Heart & Head of Ed.

Ed's ministries in the church include typical pastoral work: preaching, teaching, counseling, weddings, funerals, visitation, administration, etc. Ed is also noted for his puppet ministry and flannelgraph lessons. He serves on the Camp Council for Camp Emmanuel and populates the church's website with articles.

Marylu serves the church in a supportive role: teaching Beginners' Sunday School and children's church, serving as an AWANA leader, organizing camp meals, and offering a listening ear to the women of the church. Together, Ed and Marylu lead the Summer Youth Program.

The Vasiceks tried to live out their faith at home. The Vasiceks typically prayed together as a family when the children resided at home, and Ed and Marylu still pray together. Their two adult children are walking with the Lord and are very involved in ministry.

If you have a question or would just like to talk to Pastor Ed, he can be reached at church@highlandpc.com.