REV. HUGH STONE

I was born in the Fort Dodge Hospital in 1952. I grew up in Dakota City, Iowa. My father was a construction worker and my mother resumed teaching school when I was seven. My mother was very active in the Humboldt Methodist Church. She saw to it that my three brothers and I were in Sunday school every Sunday. I have two older brothers and a younger brother. My older brothers attended Morningside College and then went on to seminary to prepare for the Methodist ministry. They served churches in college but ended up pursuing careers in higher education. My younger brother is a lawyer in Cedar Rapids.

I attended elementary school in Dakota City and junior high and high school in Humboldt.  I was active in football, intramurals, the band, student government, the Model U.N. (United Nations) and U.M.Y.F. (United Methodist Youth Fellowship). After graduating from high school in 1970, I attended the University of Iowa. I graduated with a degree in history in 1973. While at Iowa I participated in the Student Senate and worked as a waiter and cook. I also attended First United Methodist Church in Iowa City, where I heard some great preaching. Iowa was a very liberal school. I was exposed to many different types of people. My horizons were broadened a great deal while I was there. I was fortunate to spend a summer working for the Y.M.C.A in Hong Kong before my senior year at Iowa.

After graduating from Iowa, I went to the Yale Divinity School. At Yale I earned my Masters of Divinity in 1976. I also did youth work for the Orange Congregational Church, and the City of New Haven. My three years at Yale were some of the most stimulating years of my life.

My decision to enter the ministry was influenced by my mother's strong faith, my Sunday school teachers, U.M.Y.F. counselors, and various religion courses at college and seminary. I went to college thinking that I would teach history. I went to seminary thinking that I might teach Christian ethics. While I was in seminary, my experience working at the Orange Congregational Church and First United Methodist Church in New Haven helped me decide to enter the pastoral ministry. The Rev. Gilbert Caldwell, the pastor at First United Methodist Church, was influential in my decision, as was Rev. Ralph Kitterman who was the pastor at the Humboldt U.M.C.

After seminary I was appointed as an associate Pastor at the Ankeny United Methodist Church. After two years at Ankeny I went to the Mitchellville-Santiago United Methodist Churches. While at Mitchellville I also worked as a part time chaplain at the Iowa Women's Correctional Institution.

Santiago is a rural church. When I was there, it was one of the few churches in Iowa that still had outdoor plumbing complete with snakes. It has recently added indoor plumbing.

After serving Mitchellville and Santiago for nine years, I was appointed to Epworth United Methodist Church in Des Moines. I was pleased that they had indoor plumbing at the church. Epworth is on the northern edge of the inner city. While at Epworth I served on the Hawthorn Hill Board, and helped start a food pantry at the church for the Des Moines Area Religious Council. I also served as secretary for the Des Moines Urban Mission Council.

In 1988, the Epworth United Methodist Women paid for half of my trip to the Soviet Union. Fortunately, I was able to pay for the return trip. The trip to the Soviet Union was part of a peace mission. While at Epworth I was also able to visit Israel and participate in a pulpit exchange with a Methodist Church in Guisborough, England. My boys still laugh about the English boys that tried to teach them how to play cricket.

Betty and I were married while I was at Epworth. We have five children: Kristen has graduated from Simpson College and is working in Des Moines. Ryan is working for Mid­American Energy and Sears. Jordan is attending D.M.A.C.C. (Des Moines Area Community College) and working at Village Inn. Adam will attend the University of Iowa in the fall of 2003. Taylor will be a senior at Van Meter High School. Betty works as the Human Resources for Generations, Inc., which is a human service agency in Des Moines.

After serving Epworth for nine years, Betty and I moved to Greenfield. We served the Greenfield United Methodist Church for five years. The annual Ingathering was a big event at Greenfield each November. We began a youth center on the square while we were at Greenfield, and participated in a mission trip to Jamaica. I also enjoyed serving on the Conference Board of Global Ministries at that time.

After Greenfield we served the Waukee United Methodist Church for two years. While at Waukee I was able to participate in a mission trip to Nigeria. We met a number of Nigerian United Methodists and visited several of the mission projects our Annual Conference helps support. We are excited about beginning our ministry at the Osceola United Methodist Church.

I enjoy playing racquetball, chess, and pool. I also have a collection of Lionel Trains and a rock collection. Betty and I enjoy traveling, going to movies, plays, and to Hawkeye football games together.

I have fun playing the trumpet in church praise bands. I keep on practicing although I will never be very good. Betty is a pianist and a talented vocalist. She enjoys singing in church choirs and for weddings.

The church has always been a very important part of my life. I enjoy serving the church as a pastor and look forward to our ministry in Osceola.

In addition to my work as a pastor I have enjoyed teaching religion and history courses at D.M.A.C.C. and Simpson College. I also enjoy teaching Sunday school classes, Bible Study classes, and confirmation classes in the churches I have served.

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Last Revised November 4, 2012