Pictured: Pastor James Locke (right) at his recent installation. Photo courtesy of Pastor James Locke.
Recently installed Pastor James Locke is happy to bring a wealth of experience to Price’s Ascension St. Matthew’s Church. The congregation, which totals more than 125 members, was established in June of 1984 and is a joint Lutheran/Episcopal assembly, according to information provided by the church.
The former pastor, James Drury, led the congregation from 2008-2015, after which Interim Pastor Bill Bruggeman led the church until June of this year when Pastor Locke came to fulfill the call.
Pastor Locke, who was born in Iowa but moved to Arizona while young, was introduced early on to a life on the road. Joining the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus, he remembers touring with the choir as a soloist and as its youngest member before returning home for the summer and completing needed schoolwork to enable him and others to continue their tours throughout the rest of the year.
Pastor Locke continued his education after his years in the chorus and managed to receive a Bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University in Industrial Administration. With his degree, Pastor Locke worked extensively in the mining field before eventually being named as the Western Hemisphere Manager of Internal Audit for Rio Tinto.
Even while working, though, Pastor Locke continually managed to help communities in a different light. Often finding himself in communities without a Lutheran church, he would participate in lay ministries and work to start congregations in such areas.
After a time, Pastor Locke left his workplace at Rio Tinto to pursue a different career: that of theology. He attended the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary where he received his Masters of Divinity in 2009 and was ordained thereafter.
Since that time, Pastor Locke has served in two congregations in Iowa as well as Montana and now can add a third to his list.
One of the plusses of moving to Price, according to Pastor Locke, is the two-hour drive to visit family as opposed to the 18-hour trip he and his wife were used to in Iowa. Three of the couple’s four children live in Salt Lake while the fourth currently resides in Denver.
“That is a definite plus of coming,” he expressed.
Pastor Locke remains hopeful of the impact he will be able to have on his new congregation. Drawing on his extensive music background, Pastor Locke feels it will help him in his ministry.
“I tend to look for multiple perspectives and try and understand them from different views and different places,” the pastor also explained in regards to his teaching.
“I guess I could throw all the big words around, but I’m not that kind of guy,” he continued with a laugh.
Though not one for big words and complicated explanations, the tenor and golf fan who is Pastor James Locke is sure to bless many lives during his time in Price.
“I can’t begin to tell you how thrilled we are to be here,” he said.