Meet Your NeighborThe Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Meet Your Neighborby Susan Galbraith, Quill Reporter
Meet Your Neighbor Pastor Terry Muller of Stronghurst.
Pastor Muller is the new pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church and of the Raritan Reformed Church.
He was born and raised in Aplington, Iowa.
In 1966 he graduated from Aplington High School and continued his education at Ellsworth Junior College in Iowa Falls, before transferring to Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. He received his seminary degree from Western Theology Seminary in Holland, Michigan in 1974.
He came to Stronghurst from Parma, Ohio, where he pastored at Parma Park Reformed Church for 3 1/2 years nicknamed "Church in the Woods". Previously he was at Pella Reformed Church in Adams, Nebraska, for 11 1/2 years.
He is married to his college sweetheart Laura. They have been married for 41 years.
They have a daughter, Laurita (Corey), Anderson who live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Laurita is an R.N. at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs and Corey is a coach working toward his teaching degree coach. A son, Micah (Stacey), live in Omaha, Nebraska. Micah is an IT specialist for Farm Credit in Omaha and Stacey is getting her education degree at the University of Nebraska in Omaha.
Pastor Muller and Laura have four grandchildren: Sean (18), Kylie (11), Danielle (12), and Jacob (7).
His parents, Keith and Sue Muller are deceased.
His only sibling, a brother, Keith (Sue), live in Walford, Iowa.
For enjoyment he and Laura love riding their 1987 Honda Goldwing. They are new members of the Christian Motorcycle Association. It is a worldwide group, with several hundred thousand members that minister to bike riders. He also dabbles in computers and loves carpentry. He said, " I have lots of tools as the young fellows who helped move us can attests to!"
When taking trips they enjoy exploring areas of the country in which they live. They have lived in California, Nebraska and Iowa. One of their memorable trips was when they traveled to the Black Hills and toured attractions there.
Also when they traveled to the West Coast they stopped to tour National Parks such as Gunnison, Bryce Canyon, Arches National Park and Zion National Park on the way.
"I enjoy the friendly, outgoing, helpful, gracious, and encouraging folks at the church and they overlook my mistakes! I am trying to get used to the order of the Lutheran worship service and the congregation has been very patient with me."