Our pastor is Rev. Wendy Downing. Wendy has been in ministry since 1986. She was ordained a United Methodist Deacon in 1986 and an Elder in 1988. She went to Perkins School of Theology on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.

Wendy served as a hospital chaplain at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston, MO for three years, and as a hospice chaplain with Providence Hospice Group in Sikeston, MO for four years. Wendy has been in parish ministry for most of her career and began serving in the PC(USA) in 1996, and became a Presbyterian Church (USA) pastor in 2006. She has been in ecumenical & intergenerational ministry through her work in the parish and hospice/hospital, starting senior programs, and youth groups in several of the churches she has served.

Theologically, Wendy would be considered fairly liberal, and loves to hear about the spiritual journeys of others, and how God has been at work in their lives. Growing up a city girl in North County of St. Louis, Wendy always loved visiting her grandparents’ farm and visiting parks and lakes with her family. Wendy loves the outdoors and living in this beautiful river area with her husband, Rev. John Goodwin.

The first pastor of the Steelville Church was the Rev. John E. Braley, who was succeeded by his brother, Rev. James B. Braley in 1844, and remained until 1851. The succeeding pastors, or supplies, with the dates of their pastorates has been:

Rev. I. B. Allen, 1852
Rev. Jas. B. Braley, 1855
Rev. W. P. Renick, 1859
Rev. Jas. B. Braley, 1877
Rev. W. T. Rogers, 1883
Rev. J. P. Campbell, 1884
Rev. W. D. Hawkins, 1887
Rev. J. P. Campbell, 1889
Rev. H. D. Kenedy, 1890
Rev. A. T. Carr, 1893
Rev. J. T. Todd, 1896
Rev. J. A. Sigler, 1900
Rev. S. E. Wilson, 1902
Rev. M. A. Prather, 1902 – 06
Rev. Joseph Latham, 1906 – 07
Rev. J. T. Alexander, 1907 – 08
Rev. D. L. Temple, 1911 – 12
Rev. J. M. Glick, 1908 – 10
Rev. T. N. Hunt, 1913 – 14
Rev. S. L. Roper, 1914 – 21
Rev. Charles Martin, 1921 – 24
Rev. O. H. Campbell, 1925 – 27
Rev. A. L. Whitfield, 1927 – 28
Rev. Sam L. Roper, June 1929 – May 6, 1953
Rev. Raymond A. Schondelmeyer, 1954 – 1964
Rev. Charles D. Likely, 1965 – 1985
Rev. Wendy Roberts, 1985 – 1986
Revs. Wm. C. and Susan L. Guyer Birch, 1986 – 1995
Rev. Al Hoyer, August 1, 1997 to July 30, 2000
Rev. W. Dale Starr, November 1, 2000 to March 31, 2003
Rev. Mary Arnold, January 1, 2006 – January 30, 2008
Rev. John Welton, September 1, 2012 – January 15, 2016
Rev. Wendy S. Downing, January 9, 2017 – present