New pastor preaches at St. Paul Lutheran

St. Paul Lutheran Church and Zion Lutheran Church in Chinook are sharing a new pastor.

Marcus Williams was installed as the pastor of the churches Aug. 6.

This is the first assignment for the 28-year-old pastor, who came, with family - wife and two young boys - in tow straight from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Havre.

Although no stranger to Montana, the native Idahoan said he'd never been this far north until driving into Havre after having committed to taking the dual-parish assignment.

Williams earned his undergraduate in English writing from University of Montana. It was in Missoula that his desire to be a pastor sparked, he said. He started attending a church near his place, he said, to "stay grounded." From there he fell in love with theology, he said, and decided he wanted to be a pastor.

Here in north-central Montana, Williams preaches twice every Sunday, first at Zion at 9 a.m. and then he treks back to Havre just in time to preach at St. Paul. The St. Paul congregation has between 50 and 60 people, he said, the Zion congregation between 35 and 40 people.

Although nervous at first, Williams said, he is kind of "in the groove now."

Williams said people are invited to attend church and anyone who would like to talk to Williams can call the church at 265-7637.