On Sunday May 20, Rick Stewart was announced as the new pastor of Hygiene United Methodist Church.  Rick and his wife Sandy have been married for over 40 years, and moved to Colorado in 1989 from Kansas City and northeastern Oklahoma.  Rick had a 24 year career in the pharmaceutical industry, but changed course in 2013.  A lifelong Methodist active in Longs Peak United Methodist Church in Longmont, Rick and Sandy felt a calling to pastoral service and mission.  Sandy is a United Methodist Deacon, employed at the OUR Center serving homeless individuals and supporting economically stressed families.  Rick completed training as a licensed local pastor, and continues to take classes at St. Paul School of Theology  to achieve more comprehensive credentials, all of this while employed as a van driver with VIA Mobility, a transportation resource for the disabled.  Rick has most recently served for one year at the Pierce (CO) United Methodist Church.  They live off Airport Road in Longmont, only a few miles from HUMC.

 

Rick is known to several HUMC members.  Andy Ernst knows him from Methodist Conference activities, and Dave Puzo recalls him from his time at Longs Peak UMC years ago.  Logan knows him from his role as a Via Mobility driver!  Skip Strickland, in the introduction meeting with the HUMC SPRC on May 16, spoke very highly of Rick and his wife, as did Pastor Jim Calhoun.  The SPRC unanimously accepted Rick’s appointment on that date, after having the opportunity to become acquainted with him and Sandy.

 

Pastor Stewart lists as his priorities and vision for ministry the following:  good worship, cultivation of small group study, encouraging individual private worship, continuing church community leadership, and mission activities in our community.  Rick will start his tenure with HUMC on Sunday July 1.