The Rev. Karl Krueger, Ph.D.
Interim Priest
The Rev. Karl Krueger served Christ Church Ithan in 2020 for a two-month appointment that morphed into eight months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then returned in May 2023 as interim priest.
An ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Father Karl has pastored an English/German congregation in Philadelphia and a Slovak/English congregation in Windsor, Ontario. In addition, he has served as the interim rector in several congregations, including Washington Memorial Chapel in Valley Forge, and most recently as sabbatical pastor at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in the Great Valley.
Father Karl has a Ph.D. in History from the University of Michigan and a Master’s in Library Science from Drexel University, and worked at the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies. In addition, he directed the Krauth Memorial Library of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and taught courses in church history for over fifteen years.
Dr. Jeffrey B Fowler
Music Director
Jeffrey B. Fowler is an accomplished church musician and has left an indelible mark on the Philadelphia and Detroit metropolitan areas since 1970. Born in Allentown, he pursued his passion for music through formal education, earning degrees from West Chester University (B.S.) and the University of Michigan (M.M., D.M.A.), where he studied under renowned organist Marilyn Mason.
During his 24-year tenure as Minister of Music at Wayne Presbyterian Church in Wayne, Pennsylvania, Jeff transformed the music program. Under his leadership, participation swelled to 500 individuals across ten musical organizations. Notably, in 1992, he revitalized the Wayne Oratorio Society, which had lain dormant. Over the next 23 years, this choir performed an impressive 97 major choral works, accompanied by orchestras and soloists. The choirs ranged from 180 to 220 singers, and over 1,000 vocalists participated during this period.
In 2015, after 45 years as a full-time musician, Jeff decided to retire. However, his love for music remained undiminished. Just two months later, he accepted a part-time position as organist and choirmaster at Christ Church, Ithan, in Villanova. There, he continues to serve, practicing and playing the church’s 1999 Peter Luley pipe organ. Jeff also directs their mostly professional choir, comprised of eleven talented singers. Additionally, he serves as the Archivist for the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (A.G.O.).
Jacqui North
Rector’s Warden
Jacqui has served as Rector’s Warden since January 2019, transitioning from a career in GlaxoSmithKline where she most recently served as director and chief of staff for the GSK Legal Department. Prior that, she held a similar role in the company’s Consumer Healthcare department, and previously worked as a Project Engineer at Lockheed Martin and GE.
Jacqui holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Marketing from West Chester University.
