After a year and a half of thoughtful searching and discernment, the congregation of St. Paul United Church of Christ in Waterloo has officially welcomed Rev. Kyle Timmons as its new pastor. 

Following a unanimous vote on April 6, Timmons has accepted the call and began serving the congregation this month.

Pastor Timmons brings with him more than 21 years of ministry experience. His pastoral journey has included roles as a children and youth director, youth pastor, associate pastor, and most recently, senior pastor at UCC congregations in Grant Park, Illinois, and Elliston, Ohio.

“Serving St. Paul and the community of Waterloo is an amazing opportunity,” Timmons said. “I have been impressed with the church community, the city of Waterloo, and all of the wonderful people during my visits during this call process.”

Before entering ministry, Timmons served four years in the U.S. Navy as a religious program specialist, where he supported the spiritual needs of fellow servicemembers. He was honorably discharged in 2004 and quickly transitioned into civilian ministry, beginning at First Presbyterian Church in his hometown of Fremont, Ohio.

Timmons, 48, is joined in Waterloo by his wife of 22 years, Jacquelyn. The couple has three children: Nicholas, Rebecca and Anna.

The call to serve St. Paul UCC was extended after a dedicated search committee of seven congregants spent 18 months prayerfully and diligently seeking the right pastoral leader.

“From the very beginning, Pastor Kyle’s energy and enthusiasm for his calling – and for serving our congregation and community – stood out,” said Barb Wagner, co-chair of the pastoral search committee. “His passion for ministry and vision for connection aligned so well with what our congregation was hoping for.”

“Our committee approached this search with a deep sense of responsibility and care,” added co-chair Mitch North. “After an extensive process, we were thrilled to find a candidate who not only met but exceeded the qualities we had hoped for in our next pastor.”

Timmons led his first worship service this past Sunday. 

For more information on St. Paul UCC, located at 200 N. Main Street, call 618-939-7123 or visit stpaulonline.org.