Rev. Gerry Kahler says his office door is always open at the Kalona United Methodist Church. Kahler began serving at the church June 24, coming from Lenox where he served for five years.
Though church appointments are made by the Iowa bishop and cabinet, Kahler said Kalona is a great fit because it offers a small town environment while being close to a larger city. He and his wife. Jodi, are also closer to their three grown children - Greg, Matthew and Andrew.
A Methodist minister for 17 year, Kahler says he went through a "spiritual journey" before entering the ministry, growing up a Disciples of Christ, becoming an Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUB) member and then attending a "Full Gospel Pentecostal" church and Southern Baptist church while living in Minnesota. He has even spend two summer retreats at a community of Benedictine sisters.
He says he considers himself a Wesleyan, which takes its name from the founder of the Methodist Church, John Wesley.
Kahler grew up in Garwin near Marshalltown, graduated from the Marshalltown Community College, received his bachelor's from the University of Northern Iowa and master's from the St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. He is currently finishing his PhD dissertation at St. Paul's.
The new minister says his main hobby is reading theological works and he is interested in the history of Christian churches and religious movements. He also writes an on-line devotional that is sent out via e-mail and plans to have them soon attached to the church's website at kalonaumc.org.