Get to Know Us
About
Staff
Rev. Keith Pitts
Lead Pastor
I am thrilled to be part of the team and faithful followers at First Methodist Church. I have been a pastor for twenty-three years in Iowa. I began my ministry career as a youth pastor and jail chaplain in Cedar Rapids, IA. I recently moved from Delhi, IA where I served a passionate and growing congregation as their lead pastor.
I am a graduate of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and The University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. I love being a community pastor and have served as a firefighter, rescue diver, and emergency medical technician in the communities that I have served. I also lead a disaster response team and chainsaw response team in our conference.
I have been married to my wife Emily for twenty-five years, and we have three children, Jamiesha (23), Jamie (20), and Chloe (17). Emily and I enjoy being members of the Roughnecks Motorcycle Club, which is a public safety club where I serve as our chapter vice president and I am on the national cabinet as the club chaplain.
Please reach out I would love to get to know you!
Keturah Paul
FMC Admin
It is such a gift to be working here at First Methodist Church! I am originally from Clinton, but left in 1996. My children, Winnie (13) and Lincoln (11), and I moved here from Wisconsin where I have lived for the past sixteen years.
I have a BA in General Ministries, from Lincoln Christian College (Lincoln, IL), an MA in Christian Doctrine from Marquette University (Milwaukee, WI) and an MA in Ministry from Lincoln Christian Seminary (Lincoln, IL). My long term goal is to be board certified for the National Association of Veterans Affairs Chaplains (NAVAC). I spent five years enlisted in the Army as a Cryptologic Linguist and deployed to Baghdad for fifteen months. Since that time the VA has been a tremendous help to me and I look forward to someday serving fellow veterans with this great organization.
In more recent years I have had the pleasure of working for both the East Troy Bible Church and East Troy Community School District as their administrative assistant and bookkeeper. Although I was not formally trained in these areas, God knew that I would need the skills that I learned at these jobs to be able to serve at FMC today. I am confident that right here, right now, is exactly where God wants me and I am so thankful for this blessed opportunity to serve right alongside all of you!
What We Believe
We believe that there is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and good; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power and eternity the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
We believe Jesus Christ did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of human being’s nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sit until he return to judge all people at the last day.
We believe the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments are the primary rule and authority for faith, morals, and service, against which all other authorities must be measured.
We believe that life is a holy gift of God whose beginning and endings are set by God, and that it is the particular duty of believers to protect those who are powerless to protect themselves, including the unborn. We believe human life begins at conception and abortion ends a human life.
We believe that human sexuality is a gift of God that is to be affirmed as it is exercised within the legal and spiritual covenant of a loving and monogamous marriage between one man and one woman. While affirming a scriptural view of sexuality and gender, we welcome all the experience the redemptive grace of Jesus and are committed to being a safe place of refuge, hospitality, and healing for any who may have experienced brokenness in their sexual lives.
Our church mission comes from the Great Commandment and Great Commission.
The Great Commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38).
The Great Commission: “Go into to all the world and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).
We will fulfill the mission through;
Connecting with Christ (growing up) through personal relationship with God – prayer and worship
Growing in Christ (growing in) through discipleship – Bible study and fellowship
Impacting for Christ (growing out) through evangelism and mission locally and globally