Joan and Jim Pelley | COURTESY PHOTO
MEEKER | With numerous connections to Northwest Colorado, Jim Pelley is pleased to take on the role of pastor at Meeker Christian Church. He takes the place of longtime minister Merv Johnson, who passed away earlier this year.
Jim has deep roots in the area as the grandson of Moffat County homesteaders. He and his wife Jean are Craig high school alumni. Jim recalls playing football against the Meeker Cowboys. He operated a cattle ranch on Black Mountain until his call to ministry at the age of 40 when he attended Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1980.
Jim pastored the Christian church in Vernal, Utah, for a time, but most recently lived in Marthasville, Missouri, with their adult daughter, who spent 15 years as a missionary in Russia. The couple also has two adult sons who live in Texas, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
“I thought I was retiring five years ago,” Pelley said. That hasn’t happened yet.
He was contacted by longtime friends Frank and Lois Sampson about the pastoral position in Meeker and the Pelleys decided to return to their Northwest Colorado roots, this time in Meeker.
For Holy Week, there will be a Communion service Thursday, April 14 at 6:30 p.m., an in-house sunrise service on Easter Sunday at 6:30 a.m. at the Meeker Christian Church, 443 School St. Regular Sunday services include an adult Bible study at 10 a.m. followed by a worship service at 11 a.m.
By NIKI TURNER – editor@editorht1885.com
