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Our Pastor and Staff

   

  

Pastor Kyle and his wife Megan.

Pastor Kyle's office hours are: M - Th 9:00am to 4:00pm

**Appointments can be set up for M, W & Th at 10:00a, 1:00p or 4:00p** 

Just contact the church office to set up an appointment.

Pastor Kyle can be reached via email by clicking HERE

     Pastor Kyle Armentrout-Steward

      Senior Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Alton

Who is Pastor Kyle?

Howdy! It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Rev Kyle Armentrout-Steward. The last name is right. Both my wife and I share a hyphenated name. I am married to my wonderful partner Megan. We met by chance at a small coffee shop nestled in a quiet neighborhood. Needless to say, it was a place you had to know about to find. After sitting outside talking for more than two hours, we recognized that we wanted to meet again. I asked for her number and the rest is history. We have our first child on the way, little Forrest! We also live with our crazy cat, Minerva.

I most definitely say that I am a coffee connoisseur–okay, maybe an addict. The baristas at Post Commons and Maeva's know my name and order when I walk through the door. Fun thing is that it is always a surprise latte, aka barista's choice. Every drink becomes an adventure and I get a real opportunity to see some of the barista's creativity.

I went to Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville where I studied as a graphic designer, but really landed with a passion in drawing and illustration. Pen and ink is my go-to media of choice, but design taught me that mixed media can be fun too! I also enjoy playing guitar. I was the guitarist in a praise band of a youth led worship service. But mostly I enjoy playing guitar for the fun of it.

In 2012, I began working on a clean water project with my local pastor. The project went so well that we expanded it in year two. We began having conversations with our annual conference about doing a clean water mission trip with our partner conference in Liberia. Our trip was unfortunately put off for a year due to the Ebola epidemic. During that time, I was able to attend two of the Liberia annual summits in Detroit where I worked with individuals all over the Midwestern US and with friends from Liberia. On my drive home from one of those trips, I was deeply aware that God was calling me to full-time ministry. The following year, I began my Masters of Divinity with Eden Theological Seminary.

Since then, I have participated in ministries with people experiencing homelessness, been a part of two new faith community start-ups, as well as journeyed with a congregation that was closing. I recently served as the Associate Pastor of Family Ministries at Main Street UMC in Alton, IL. One of the larger projects during this time was my work as the Spiritual Director of the Encounter Youth Choir. Encounter is an ecumenical high school ministry with students that have represented 30 different churches and 8  school districts.

When I took on the job as Spiritual Director for such a large group, I did so with an awareness that Spiritual Direction was likely something more than what I was doing at the time. In addition to meeting with a mentor and clergy group, I began meeting with a personal counselor and my own Spiritual Director. The insight I gained and the depth of my faith have both grown because of this deep personal work. Since going before the Board of Ordained Ministry to become a fully-ordained Deacon in full connection with the UMC, I have enrolled in a two year graduate level certificate program for Spiritual Direction with Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, MO. I have completed this program this past summer.

So what is next for me? I am hoping to begin connecting three areas I am passionate about: justice, spirituality, and creativity. Maybe that means creating art work for anti-racist work, or helping find a creative way to express God's love for LGBTQIA2S+ persons. Maybe it is working with others to speak on breath as resistance, or how healthy spirituality supports and sustains work with people experiencing homelessness.

If I am confident in one thing, it is that the work that I am doing and being called to is a great privilege. I am humbled by the hard work and commitment of those who have gone before to create paths so that I might do the work in the manner to which I serve. Ultimately, the ministry work that I am bound to is a gift of God, to which I am grateful and blessed to share it with others. It is not by my own strength or wisdom that I am able to do such work. All glory be to God!!!

Director of Music Ministry/Choir and Bells

Dr. Raymond E. Landis

Before coming to us, Ray was Director of Music Ministries and Organist in Christ Church United Church of Christ in Maplewood, Missouri, and Director of Music and Organist in the First Congregational Church of Webster Groves, United Church of Christ in St. Louis, prior to that. He has had 30 years of experience in church music in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and the St. Louis region. Ray has a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Organ Performance and a Master of Music from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Music from Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania.

Ray's approach to music ministry is informed by interaction with different cultures and a strong sense of social justice. As co-founder and past president of the Sunshine Cultural Arts Center of East St Louis, he is passionate about developing music-based youth programs. Enjoying music-making with all ages and talent levels, Ray encourages the creative gifts in all of us. He enjoys kayaking, hiking, bike riding, and going out to concerts and movies. Ray and his wife, Dawna, have five adult children, two who are adopted. We are grateful to God for sending us such a talented, proficient, and compassionate musician.

                            

Tiarra Stewart

Office Administrator                         

Office hours: M-F, 9a-1p             

Tracy Montgomery

 Building Custodian       

 


Volunteers:

   Robert Thornberry/Financial Office

Not Pictured:

Nancy Matis - Treasurer (Volunteer)

Susie Delano - Saturday Cafe and Tuesday Soups On