About Rev. Linda Reynolds, Pastor for Spiritual Development

Coming to Belleville is like coming home to me. I was born in Deaconess Hospital and grew up around Tower Grove Park in St. Louis, MO, the eldest of four daughters. My family was very Catholic and I entered the convent of the Sisters of Divine Providence in my teens and trained as an elementary teacher. When I left the convent, I married (later divorced after 17 years of marriage) and taught in Parochial schools for a while but realized I could support my family better by working for Dierbergs. I spent twenty years managing the Deli section of various stores as I raised my two daughters. I was doing that and working part time as a Youth Minister at Friedens United Church of Christ in St. Charles, Missouri when I met Lev Reynolds, a UCC pastor, who had been recently widowed. I disliked him immediately, but he too encouraged me to listen to the leading of God who was extending to me a call to Ordained Ministry.

During one season, I took the leap of faith to leave Dierbergs, accept a call to full time ministry, and to enter Eden Seminary to prepare for Ordained Ministry. Oh, I also married Lev. (Long story) My passions are spirituality, (that is learning to listen to and walking with the God revealed to us by Jesus Christ.) Children, (those noisy little things that God gives us to bring us joy.) and Youth(a larger version of those things that God gives us to bring us joy!). My ministry is to nurture all of us in such a way that we and they (children and youth) are surrounded with Love, Care and Support as we all grow in the grace of God.

So now Lev and I are in Belleville, listening to the path that God wants us to take here and rejoicing that we are close to three of the five children in our blended family and especially close to six of our eight grandchildren, soon to be one more in November.