Retired Clergy Associated with
Church of the Holy Spirit
The Rev. Dean Bickel
Rev. Dean Bickel graduated from Boyertown High School, Susquehanna University and The Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia. He also completed four units of Clinical Pastoral education and is certified by the ELCA for Chaplaincy. He served congregations in Monroevill, PA; Dillon, Colorado; Venice, Florida and Perkasie, PA. Rev. Bickel is married to Robin (Eichner) and has two daughters and five grandchildren. He plays the piano, organ and drums, enjoys oil painting and provides presentations on the flintlock rifle at local homesteads. Dean and Robin came to Holy Spirit because of an invitation by Rev. Richard Miller who is also active in the parish.
The Rev. Robert E. Mitman
Having grown up in the little burg of Pipersville, upper Bucks County, Robert (Bob) Mitman attended the Pennridge Schools, graduating in 1967. It was there in ninth grade that he met his future wife, Linda.
Muhlenberg College offered a challenging undergraduate education as well as opportunities for musical endeavors in College Choir, Institution of Sound, and Broadway musicals. Bob graduated with a BA in Psychology in 1971 and within the month after graduation married Linda. That September he began studies at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, graduating in 1975. The Mitmans spent a year of internship in Albany, NY. The month following graduation from seminary their first child, Eric, was born, and Bob began serving as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church of Wyndmoor. Jennifer was born 3 years later. Today they are blest with 5 grandchildren. In 1980 the Mitmans moved to “suburban” Perkasie as Bob became pastor of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, where he remained for 36 years, retiring in 2016.
Over the years Bob has enjoyed playing tennis with a foursome in Doylestown. He began bowling shortly after retirement and relishes his Wednesday mornings with friends he has made at Earl Bowl in Quakertown. He and Linda enjoy traveling, especially to watch grandchildren participate in sporting events. They joyfully call Church of the Holy Spirit, Harleysville, home.