St. Andrew’s met with an unusual circumstance when Pastor David left us mid-appointment at the end of December 2021. Pastor Steve stepped in to fill what was intended to be a six-month “interim” appointment. As the 2022 Missouri Annual Conference approached though, a new appointment was not found. After some prayerful consideration, Steve agreed to stay for one more year only. That year is coming to a close this summer, and we’ve all known that a new appointment would be heading our way!
A recent meeting with a representative from the Southeast District (because our District Superintendent, Bruce Baxter, had just undergone surgery) and the Pastor Parish Relations Committee (PPRC) introduced the new pastor that the Cabinet had selected based on the congregations’ needs and input from the PPRC. Below, you’ll find information about our new pastor, who will begin his work here in July. Once we get a little closer to the time of Pastor Chris’ start date, a plan will be made for welcoming him and his wife to the church. For now, please be in prayer for this transition and for all those pastors taking on new appointments at the Missouri Annual Conference in June.
Pastor Bio
Rev. M. Christopher Boyer is delighted to be returning to his family’s roots in Jefferson County. His father, David, was a graduate of Herculaneum High School; his mother, Bonnie Sue (Glaze), a graduate of Festus High. Rev. Boyer spent the past year as executive director of Feed My People, with offices in High Ridge and Lemay. Chris and his wife, Connie (Eddens) are both St. Louis natives and graduates of Kirkwood High and Notre Dame High School, respectively.
“Pastor Chris” was previously the longest-serving Pastor of Good Shepherd Baptist Church in Lynnwood, WA, serving over 16 years. Prior to that pastorate, he had a 27-year career in professional and academic theatre as an actor, director, technician, administrator, and educator. He also served the Lynnwood community as a member of the City Council, from 2013 – 2017, including a term as council president in 2016. Pastor Boyer is an alumnus of Rice University and of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Theater Background
During his theatrical career, he was Coordinator for the acclaimed Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville for four years and served as administrative head for such theatres as A.D. Players, Stage One: The Louisville Children’s Theatre, New Harmony Theatre, Lincoln Amphitheatre, and Seattle’s Taproot Theatre Company. He also taught Theatre Administration at Bellarmine University in Louisville and on selected topics at University of Southern Indiana, where he managed the undergraduate theatre program. His career included producing at the New Victory Theatre, part of the New 42nd Street Project in Manhattan, as well as producing two video projects in conjunction with the British Broadcasting Corporation. He has also been a member of the board of directors of Pacific Theatre in Vancouver, BC.
Community Work
In addition to his theatre career, Rev. Boyer has served as an executive for other arts institutions, including Seattle’s Northwest Girl Choir, and in the social service field, where he was Executive Director for Interfaith Community Council in southern Indiana and Director for Communications at Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children, the state’s largest provider for children and family services. Prior to being called by Good Shepherd Baptist Church, he also served as interim pastor at Shutesbury (MA) Community Church and at First Baptist Church of Evansville, IN. From 2008 through 2012, Rev. Boyer served as Ministry Associate for the Evergreen Association of American Baptist Churches. He later served as treasurer and then vice-chair of the board of directors for Evergreen.
Christopher has also served on many arts, social service and other community boards, including as President of the Church Council of Greater Seattle, Chairman of the Lynnwood Arts Commission, President of the Washington State Arts Alliance Foundation and Treasurer of Christians in Theatre Arts, an international networking and educational organization for believers expressing their faith through the theatre. He has also acted as convener for the South Snohomish County Ministerial Association and has been an official mentor/supervisor for students at Fuller Seminary Northwest and Seattle University School of Theology and Ministry. For four years, Rev. Boyer was a regular contributor to The Enterprise/Weekly Herald of Snohomish County (WA), writing a monthly column on faith issues. In 2013, he was the recipient of the “Rev. S.G. Wilson Spiritual Leadership Award” from the NAACP of Snohomish County. He counts as his most profound blessings his marriage of 39 years to Connie, and their children: Kit (39), Colleen (30), & Sean (27).
Chris and Connie are season ticket holders to the St. Louis Cardinals and also fans of the St. Louis Blues. They love to hang out together, reading and listening to music, watching old movies, or cooking. Their favorite vacation spots are London (where they will be in June) and Waikoloa Village, HI.