Meet your pastor, Dr. Richard Johnson, of the Biggsville United Presbyterian Church.
The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By Jennifer Dance, Quill Staff
Meet your pastor, Dr. Richard Johnson, of the Biggsville United Presbyterian Church.
Dr. Johnson received his Bachelors degree from the University of Dubuque. After graduation he went on to Dubuque Theological Seminary where he received his doctorate of Ministry. He also has an Associates degree in Landscape Design and Turf Management.
He was ordained in 1972 and received his first call for the rural town of Savannah. His second call came from Central Presbyterian in Joliet in 1984. In 2000 he was an interim pastor in Coal City and was called to Biggsville in 2002.
Dr. Johnson is married to Vicki, a nurse at Great River Medical Center in Burlington, Iowa. They have two children, Matthew and Krista. Matthew, 28, is married and living in Joliet with his wife and their three children.
Krista, 24, went back to school after graduating with a Broadcast Journalism degree, to receive her teaching degree from Western Illinois.
Dr. Johnson's desire for the United Presbyterian Church of Biggsville is to raise the congregation's awareness of who they are, their mission, and their responsibility as disciples.
He is grateful for the youth group at church, consisting of 17 members.
The group meets weekly and is busy getting ready for their annual mission trip in June. They will be going to Spirit Lake Indian Reservation in Devil's Lake, North Dakota.
Dr. Johnson and the youth will be working with the tribal council to rehabilitate the homes on the reservation. They work hard all year to raise money for the trip, and to pay for materials used for the project.
Dr. Johnson serves on the county Economic Development Board. He is working hard to implement ideas that will grow the county. His desire for the county is not only that it be a place families want to live, but also a place where they can afford to live.
Service times at United Presbyterian Church of Biggsville are Sunday School at 9:00 a.m. and Worship at 10:15 a.m.