Pastor comes from Lindsborg with love
Staff writer
Valley United Methodist Church’s half-time minister wants to convey that there is a bright future for the church and God is with church members.
“There is a fear that the church is going to close, and I don’t think it will,” Pastor Dallas Peterson said.
He said he doesn’t see any particular challenges. Valley church is small in numbers but has a big heart, he said.
“You need to be thinking that way,” Peterson said.
Asked what he’d like people to know, Peterson said, “God is good. God is great. And He is with us.”
Peterson formerly was at Trinity United Methodist Church in Lindsborg. He and his wife will keep living in their Lindsborg home while he serves Valley and works one day a week at home.
“As long as I’m serving in a half time capacity, I plan to keep commuting,” Peterson said.
A veteran pastor of five previous churches, Peterson is in his second career.
Before going into ministry — as his father had done — Peterson worked in the printing business in Fort Scott. The company sold business forms and labels. He retired in 2002 and began studies.
He took a course of study at St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City.
When he finished in 2015, he was assigned first to churches in Mound City and Blue Mound. He was there seven years.
He then spent five years assigned to churches in Girard and Farlington.
In 2019, he was assigned to serve St. Paul Church in Lindsborg.
His second retirement was after St. Paul.
Peterson said during his first three months serving Valley Church, he’s gotten out and about in the community getting to know people. He’s enjoyed that time.