Growing, adapting, loving: The Rev. Ann Mowery has to come to love a lot of things in her 11 years pastoring at Zion United Methodist Church

The Rev. Ann Mowery has to come to love a lot of things in her 11 years pastoring at Zion United Methodist Church in Gordonville, but one of the things she said she cherishes the most is the environment. She said Zion is a loving, family-oriented church. Zion United Methodist Church was built in 1848, but Mowery said one of the church's biggest strengths is that as the area around it has changed, Zion has adapted and grown and become what it is today. She said the people care for one another, whether they are longtime members or newcomers.

How long have you been involved with a church? I've been involved in church all of my life.

How long have you been a member of the Methodist faith? I was born into the Methodist Church. When I was in sixth grade, my dad disagreed with a minister and we became Presbyterian. I stayed Presbyterian until I married my husband, Don Mowery, who was Methodist, in 1983 and I returned to the denomination.

What drew you to serve the church in a leadership role? I'd served in several leadership roles as a lay person, predominately because I had gifts that were needed in my local church. Eventually I recognized a call from God to become a pastor, and I responded to that in 1992 when I quit my day job and entered seminary, taking a part-time job in a church to be able to do that.

What education/background/studies did you go through to become a pastor? I already had a bachelor's degree, so I needed to go to seminary to receive a master's of divinity from Eden Theological Seminary.

How many years have you served as a pastor? While in seminary I served two years part time, then have been full time for 14 years.

When did you become the pastor at Zion United Methodist Church? My first Sunday was Aug. 15, 1999.

Where are you from and when/why did you move to this area? I am originally from St. Louis, and my husband is originally from Cape Girardeau. I moved here when the United Methodist Church appointed me to serve as associate pastor of Centenary United Methodist Church in June 1998.

Were you involved with Zion United Methodist Church before becoming the pastor? No, though in the United Methodist Church we are connected, so I knew the former pastor and had met several members.

What's your favorite verse and why? Oh, goodness! I love the entire Bible; I read through it every year, and am continually discovering something new in it. If I have to pick one, I guess I'd say Philippians 4:13: "I can do everything through him (Christ) who strengthens me." Christ makes possible everything I do. His presence fills me and guides me and strengthens me and gives me all I need to do everything he has for me to do.

What program have you done with Zion United Methodist Church that you are proud of and why? I've been at Zion for nearly 11 years, and we have done a lot. We've had a lay witness mission, that got people able to talk about their faith in new ways. We have added an additional worship service because of growth. We have begun several new Adult Sunday School classes to help people connect and grow in their faith. We did 40 Days of Purpose, which helped folks grow in their relationship with God and understand more fully what God has for us to do. We've gone on Mission trips to Henderson Settlement, in Appalachia, for 11 years, helping make life better for people in a very depressed area of the country. We participated in the Blitz day working on a Habitat for Humanity house in Cape Girardeau. We've invited outside consultants in to look at our church and help us make changes for the future, and are in the process of determining which of their ideas we will implement. We've also enhanced our facilities by building the Disciple Center, a building with offices, classrooms, dining room and kitchen.

What events or occasions does your church have coming up? On May 30 Zion will celebrate the Dedication of our Disciple Center and burn the mortgage. We began building this building in May 2004, moved in May 2005 and we're very proud to be debt free. We're doing that service during the Sunday school hour, at 9:15 a.m. The next day, May 31, is our annual Memorial Day supper, when we invite everyone to come enjoy our chicken and dumplings, ham, German potato salad, slaw, bread, vegetables and desserts. We expect to serve between 800 and 1,000 people that day. I personally think we have the best chicken and dumplings I've ever eaten, but you'll have to come taste for yourself.

What's your favorite day of the week and why? Well, of course, I love Sundays, because I love preaching. Sundays are exhausting, though, so I don't usually like to add anything else to that day The rest of the day is my Sabbath rest, I usually enjoy spending it quietly with my family. Both aspects of Sunday are good.

What's your favorite part of being a pastor? That's a hard question. I love preaching, bringing the Word of God to the congregation. I love those one-on-one conversations which help people recognize God's love for them, and the way God wants to touch their lives with the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I also love the opportunity to minister to families who have experienced a loss, helping them celebrate the life of their loved one and recognizing God's grace at those times. Basically, I love being a pastor.

What hobbies do you have? I love to read, I enjoy traveling, and I enjoy spending time with my husband Don, my son James, my older step children Kim and Jeff and their families, and all my grandchildren.

What else do you do besides serve as pastor? I'm a wife, a mother and a grandmother. I'm also serving as chair of the Southeast District Committee on Ordained Ministry, which helps those in this district who are interested in becoming a pastor in the United Methodist Church. Until recently I also served on the board of the Safe House for Women, but family issues made it impossible for me to fulfill my responsibilities.

Do you have a prayer, psalm or verse you would like to give our readers for the day? Matthew 22:37: "Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment." Since this is the greatest commandment, it is really the most important thing to God. God created us to love us, and to love him back. It's the most important thing to him, that we put him first in our lives. He made us with a space in our hearts that only he can fill, and if we try to fill that space with anything else, we'll keep feeling empty. I've drilled the congregation at Zion to the point that I can actually ask "What's the most important thing to God?" and they'll respond "That he's the most important thing to us." It's true, and the only way our lives will be fulfilled, because that's the way God made us. I invite you to pray this prayer with me. "Holy God, thank You for Your limitless love for us. Open our hearts to respond to Your love, and love You as You deserve. We want You to be truly the most important part of our lives. Amen."