Pastor's Note
From the desk of Pastor, Rev. Laura Taylor

Greetings from Pastor Laura Taylor!
I was so excited to begin serving as lead pastor of Elsberry UMC effective July 1, 2022. I have served several churches as associate pastor directing children, youth and adult discipleship along with worship and missions responsibilities for about 29 years. Before serving in churches, I used my media communications degree from Northeast Missouri State as a corporate communications manager for a small metal manufacturing company in St. Louis. St. Louis is mostly where I was born and raised between the city and north county.

I felt a call into ministry while volunteering at St. Mark's UMC in Florissant, MO and went with my husband Marty to Kansas City where I served at Broadway UMC while getting my Masters of Divinity from Saint Paul School of Theology. While in seminary, Marty and I were blessed to be able to adopt two daughters and then had a biological surprise son.
Our kids are young adults now with Hannah living in Columbia, MO and serving families raising children with special needs, Sarah living in Pacific, MO and caring for toddlers in daycare and Joshua living in Wyoming currently using his Wildlife Biology degree at Yellowstone.

Marty is retired from teaching Industrial Technology at middle school and high school levels for about 30 years. He does some small handyman work on the side and enjoys time for flyfishing, hunting and watching car racing now.

I am enjoying getting to know the Elsberry community and learning about the needs so we can find ways to connect the resources of the church with the needs of the community in life-giving ways. I'm excited for all the possibilities for ministry this fall.

You are welcome to join us any Sunday morning at 9:30am for worship at our 109 N. 4th location or watch the worship on Facebook@elsberryumc.

Watch this space for more updates and insights in the months ahead as we have fun together growing as a community with faith, hope and love.