Meeker United Methodist Church welcomes new pastor, David Petty

MEEKER I The past year has been a bit of a whirlwind for Pastor David Petty and his family. In August 2015, they packed all their belongings and moved from Southern California to Denver to allow David to pursue an education at the Iliff School of Theology, the same school his father had attended in the early 1970s before beginning his own 43-year-career as a Methodist minister.

“The church was always part of my life. There was always a slight tug to go into the ministry … a year and a half ago I applied to school and took that first leap,” he said. Prior to that, David did “a little bit of everything.” He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio-film-TV and a minor degree in music and also has worked in graphic design, marketing, web design and professional photography.
This summer, David was offered the pastorate at Meeker United Methodist Church, and soon the family found themselves moving again, out of a 500 square foot one bedroom apartment on the Iliff campus to a much bigger home, and much smaller town, than they’ve ever lived in before.
They are excited to experience the small-town dynamic. “I think that there’s a whole lot of community that happens in small towns. My favorite thing is going to be getting to know the people and the community and build relationships,” David said. They’re also delighted to be close to David’s sister, a fellow Methodist pastor in Rifle, Colo. David will continue his education via online classes and occasional travel to Denver with projected completion in May 2018.
In their spare time, the family of four—David, his wife Amberly (a professional fire spinner) and children James, 6, and Rachel, 3—are thrilled to be in an area that allows them to enjoy numerous outdoor activities.
“We’re just excited to be here and excited to jump in feet first and see what God has in store for us.”
Sunday services are at 10 a.m. at Meeker United Methodist Church, 809 Park Ave.