New Methodist pastor a familiar face

The United Methodist churches of Plains, Paradise and Whitepine have welcomed a familiar face. Steve Hermes of Paradise recently took over as pastor for the three churches.

Hermes' family lived in Alaska until he was 12, when they moved to the family ranch just east of Paradise. He went to seminary in 1984 and recently retired after 38 years of serving as a United Methodist pastor. Hermes moved back to Paradise two years ago with his wife Chris, who he met in college. "Every generation has to go away for a while," he said. "I always knew I was coming back." His family has had the ranch since his great grandfather purchased it in 1916.

Hermes has always been involved in the United Methodist church. "They have a church camp on Flathead Lake that was a spiritual home when I was a teenager," he noted, adding that he first got into ministry through the camp.

Though the churches were separate, Hermes said the three United Methodist churches in Paradise, Plains and Whitepine always felt combined.

Serving churches runs in the family, as Hermes has an older sister who also went to seminary and serves at a church on Bainbridge Island in Washington.

Growing up, Hermes had never been east farther than Fargo, North Dakota. He decided to go to graduate school in Madison, New Jersey. "If I was going to graduate school, I figured I should see a different part of the country."

Hermes has a personal mission statement: "Continually creating an inclusive and accepting family of God by modeling our lives after Jesus the Christ." He said he is "unapologetically progressive" in his theology and his social outlook and has done a lot of work with peace and justice issues. The church has had a brand since 2001 of "Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors.," which he also lives by.

"I thoroughly enjoy being back at home on the ranch," Hermes expressed. "I have known some of these people all of my life. Karval Pickering was doing school lunches at Paradise when I was in junior high." He said he enjoys being a pastor, especially "when you sit down and visit with somebody and ask them what motivates them in life. Where they find challenge and excitement."

Hermes said his pastoral style is more conversational, even in worship. He asks questions and gets feedback, having the congregation respond and talk about the scripture during the worship service. "I use less liturgy but when we have liturgy, I have people take time to reflect and respond."

His career as a pastor has taken Hermes to Kalispell, Wyoming, and eastern Montana. He has served churches with 25 or fewer people, or churches with hundreds of members.

Hermes leads the service in Whitepine weekly and alternates Sundays between Plains and Paradise. For more information, visit http://www.plainsparadisemethodists.com.