St. Paul Presbyterian Announces Interim Pastor

Johnston's has a new face in the pulpit.

The church recently announced the hiring of the Rev. Robert Cook as interim pastor to succeed Pastor John Gilmore, who retired after 21 years serving the church.

Pastor Bob, as he's known by members, filled the pulpit at St. Paul for three Sundays in May and immediately sensed something special in the congregation, a church news release said.

“This congregation has a history, and that’s important to me,” Cook noted in the news release. “I want to embrace the theology and integrity of St. Paul church – not change it. I have no pre-conceived ideas about where this congregation should be going because I believe the Spirit will lead us there together.”

While Cook grew up in Dexter and has worked for local congregations and the Des Moines Presbyterian church since 1973, he wasn't familiar with Johnston.

To date, he's been impressed by the kindness and friendliness he's experienced from the church and community.

Cook helped to found CROSS Ministries, which serves low-income people throughout Polk County. He also founded Des Moines' Hansen House, a halfway house for men just released from prison.

The Pastor has also spend much time working with Our Sister Parish Mission in El Salvador, while no longer on staff with the mission, he remains personally involved.

Pastor Bob urges people to contact the church if they'd like to him to make a visit to meet community members.

“I don’t want to bother people who aren’t interested, but I want to make calls on anyone who wants one," he said in the release.

St. Paul Presbyterian Church is located at 6426 Merle Hay Road in Johnston. Sunday worship starts at 10:15 AM, followed by fellowship.