National Church Org. Investigating Former Delco Pastor David Zandstra

Left: The Delco church where David Zandstra was the pastor in 1975. Right: David Zandstra, who has confessed to killing Gretchen Harrington in 1975 . (Photos provided by the Delaware County District Attorney’s Offce)

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National Church Org. Investigating Former Delco Pastor David Zandstra

Yesterday, I asked the question on a lot of people’s minds: Just how many victims might Delco pastor David Zandstra have had? According to court documents, he just confessed to killing eight-year-old Gretchen Harrington in 1975. And according to those same court documents, he stands accused of sexually assaulting two other Delco girls around the same time. Given that Zandstra continued to be a pastor for decades and in various regions of the country, it’s a fair question to ask.

According to Kristen deRoo VanderBerg, the spokesperson for the Christian Reformed Church in North America — the denomination that employed Zandstra from 1965 through 2005 — the organization isn’t currently aware of any other allegations against him. But, she promises, the 1,000-plus-member church is investigating. “We have reached out to his former congregations, and they plan to cooperate fully,” she tells me.

Subsequent to our conversation, the church released a statement, which reads, in part:

In the wake of this shocking news, the Christian Reformed Church in North America would like to extend condolences to the Harrington family. We were heartbroken to hear about Gretchen’s kidnapping and death back in 1975. We are additionally grieved now to hear that a CRC pastor was responsible for her murder. …

We are grateful that local law enforcement did not stop in their pursuit of answers, and we pray that the truth for Gretchen and any other survivors of abuse or violence will continue to come to light. We also commit to continue striving for our congregations to be places of peace, welcome, hospitality, and safety for all who attend and visit.

Zandstra was the pastor at Flanders Valley CRC in Flanders, New Jersey, from 1965 through 1969 before moving on to Trinity CRC in Delco until 1976. One year after Harrington’s murder, Zandstra became pastor at a church called Bethel in Plano, Texas, just outside of Dallas. He remained there until 1983 and moved on to Living Faith Community in San Diego, California. He was there until 1990. His final church was Fairfield CRC in Fairfield, California. He left that post in 2005 before retiring to Georgia.

Zandstra, 83, awaits extradition from Georgia to Delaware County, where he faces murder and kidnapping charges for the Harrington case.

Maybe Greed Isn’t So Good

A former financial official for the Philly Pops and the Jewish Exponent was just sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for embezzling more than $1.7 million from both groups. And what did Cheryl Lutts use the money for? Shopping sprees, private-school tuition and regular old bills. In court, she blamed the whole thing on her addiction to painkillers.

What Is Going on with SEPTA?

Four crashes involving SEPTA vehicles in as many days?

Good Morning America Discovers Cheesesteaks

If you’ve ever wanted to know how to make a cheesesteak at home, Pat’s Steaks owner Frank Olivieri showed up on Good Morning America this week to explain it to the nation.

Who better to do so than the guy whose family invented the damn thing? Yes, that is a photo of Frank at Pat’s from way back in 1982.

And if you just can’t get enough cheesesteak content — and who can, really? — be sure to read my oral history of the sandwich: “The Cheesesteak Cometh.”

Local Talent

Universal Pictures (a.k.a. the giant movie company owned by Comcast) just released the official trailer for The Exorcist: Believer, an upcoming sequel in the film franchise. Why do we care? Because Masterman and CAPA alum Leslie Odom Jr., whom you got to know when he played Aaron Burr in the original Hamilton Broadway cast, is in it. He’s not just in it. He plays one of the lead characters, the concerned father of a girl he believes to be possessed. And guess who gives him an assist? Ellen Burstyn, the concerned parent in the original. She’s reviving her role of Chris MacNeil. You can watch the trailer here.

By the Numbers

16: Water rescues made in West Whiteland Township on Tuesday night thanks to flash flooding in Chester County.

3: Local gun dealers the City of Philadelphia just sued, alleging they illegally sold guns that wound up being used in more than 1,300 crimes in Philadelphia.

$315,000: The new salary of Central Bucks School District superintendent Abe Lucabaugh, after the board just voted in favor of a nearly 40 percent raise for him. This makes him the second-highest-paid school superintendent in the state. (Philly’s is number one.) And naturally, some residents of the district are none too happy about this.

400: Workers expected to be laid off this week by Jefferson Health, one of the region’s largest employers.

And from the Satire-Attire Sports Desk …

First things first! Eagles training camp is open, and the guys dressed up for their arrival yesterday:

.@Landon_2012's been setting trends since 2021 😮‍💨#EaglesCamp | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/Qaj8jCchxE

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) July 25, 2023

Meantime, in baseball world, Taijuan Walker took the mound for the home team in last night’s Game 2 of the Orioles series, and the Birds got to him early, with a double in the first, and then two singles followed by a double to score one in the second and a walk that loaded ’em up. Walker managed a strikeout and a pop-up, and Brandon Marsh made a pretty play on a line drive to end it. Veteran Kyle Gibson was the Baltimore starter, and he was efficient as hell through two. With two Orioles out, a single and a double brought them another one in the third, but the Phils got that one back on an Alec Bohm double and singles by Marsh and Johan Rojas.

Walker came out for Matt Strahm in the sixth after giving out a walk and two outs, somewhat reluctantly, apparently. Strahm struck out Colton Cowser, who got Monday night’s winning hit. There was much, much online grousing about the performance of the top of the Phils’ order vs. the bottom half. And just like that, Harper tied it up with one swing.

In the seventh, Strahm gave up a single but nothing more, and the Orioles put in Shintaro Fujinami, who got three straight. In the eighth, Strahm gave up the long ball to Ryan O’Hearn. Goldangit. He then walked Ryan Montcastle, which earned him a chat with J.T. Realmuto before Nick Castellanos bailed him out with one helluva catch.

BUT WE GET UP FOR SPECTACULAR NICK CASTELLANOS CATCHES LET'S GOOOOOO SCOTT FRANZKE pic.twitter.com/dlFoXHJBL2

— Nick Piccone (@_piccone) July 26, 2023

In came Yunior Marte, who finished off the inning, then stayed in for the ninth after the Phils got nothing in their half of the eighth. Marte gave up a walk but got bailed out by a grounder that was ruled a double play, reviewed, and ruled a mere out at second. He got through the inning, though. Last chance, Phils, against Yennier Cano. Could Trea get it done? Nope. Harper? Base hit … Up to you, Big Nick! He struck out. Stott? Base hit! And the Orioles bobbled the relay from the outfield — Harper scores! Tied again! Winning run at second, J.T. He hit a grounder he somehow beat out on pure hustle; Baltimore naturally challenged but lost. Runners at the corners, with Bohm at bat.

Alec Bohm walks it off in Philly! 🔔

(via @Phillies)pic.twitter.com/qgjn71swVc

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 26, 2023

One more in the series, tonight at 6:05. Man, we needed that.

And in Doop News …

The Union play Querétaro at Subaru Park at 7:30 tonight, and the U.S. Women’s National Team takes on the Netherlands at 9 in World Cup play. Doop!

All Philly Today sports coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.