Our Pastor
Kathy King
(507) 382-2483
June2023
A message from Pastor Kathy...
Wesleyan Values
“Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” Leviticus 19: 2
As I consider my words for this month of June, I am preparing for our Minnesota Annual Conference gathering for 2023. I am blessed as a clergyperson to know the value of gathering as the body of Christ in this way. As one who values my decision to be a United Methodist, I wonder if others ponder why or how we choose the faith community we attend or join? Do we understand the Wesleyan values that we claim when we say our membership vows?
John Wesley, the man who we understand to be the founder of our Methodist roots, focused on salvation and the connection between God’s grace, our faith, and the importance of holy living. In his preaching, writing, and living, Wesley believed and taught:
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The doctrine of original sin and the understanding that all humanity needs to do to receive the freely given grace of God is to “hear the gospel, repent, and believe.”
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Our faith in God leads to our salvation through God’s never-ending mercy and grace, through the saving love of Christ’s death for our sins, and through our personal faith in Jesus Christ.
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If we are genuine in our faith, we will naturally live lives that reflect love, selflessness, and service to others.
Our denomination’s current struggles do not and should not lessen our understanding of why we chose and continue to choose to follow our Wesleyan values.
On June 4 , we have the opportunity to come together in conversation at our Waterville EUMC. Waterville’s leadership is opening the conversation to everyone in our parish family. If you have questions, our Deaconess, Cindy Saufferer, and our District Superintendent, Fred Vanderwerf, will be there to lead and answer your questions.
We have much to celebrate in our parish. God is blessing us with new members in our Blooming Grove faith family, our beautiful Waterville sanctuary has new carpeting to welcome us in our coming together, and our Janesville faith family celebrates a successful Church School year with our children. Let us continue to see the many blessings in the beauty of God’s people and Creation as the summer beacons us to be outdoors!
Thank you for your continued support of your Pastor and Jerry! Each one of you is a gift!
It is my hope that you know how very much Jesus loves you through your faith growth and holy living!
About Pastor Kathy...
Kathy King serves as the Pastor of the Prairie Lakes Parish - a three-point charge consisting of the Blooming Grove, Janesville, and Waterville Evangelical United Methodist Churches.
Pastor Kathy lives in Janesville with her husband Jerry and their three four-footed girls: Beatrice, Mocha, and Winnifred. Kathy and Jerry have three sons - Clint (and Julie), Jeremy (and Tiffany), and Aaron (and Trista), eight grandchildren, and one great-grandson.
Pastor Kathy has a degree in English and Communications, and in 2022, completed the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship Course of Study for Licensed Local Pastors. Kathy has a heart for the rural church and the relationships made possible through the example of love shown through Jesus Christ.