Church of the Nazarene names new senior pastor

After a long selection process, Cheney’s Church of the Nazarene has named Rev. Chuck Perry as its next senior pastor.

According to a Feb. 26 news release, Perry and his wife Valerie have been involved in pastoral ministry for 28 years, and the past 10 years as the lead pastor at a church in Sisters, Ore. Perry has worked in a variety of ministry experiences while his wife has worked as a teacher at a private school.

Cheney Nazarene’s missions president and church board member Chris Kaplan said the process in selecting a pastor involves “a lot of prayer, listening with patience and interactive communication with local leadership.” The church thought it had a prospective senior pastor in December, but the possibility did not pan out.

“Our resolve was to allow God to give a clear answer,” Kaplan said in the news release. “A business may ask God for direction, but for a church, it is an essential.”

Rev. Larry Orr completed his temporary interim pastor commitment at the end of last year, and the church has been served in the pulpit and in its pastoral ministries by in-house ordained pastors Carl Hamrick and Jon Block. Kaplan said the church’s leadership was drawn to Perry from a list of prospects, and after a Skype session and personal interview, selected him for the senior position.

Kaplan extended an invitation to the community to come and welcome the Perry’s to Cheney. Perry’s first service will be Sunday, March 10, at 10:30 a.m.

Additional information is available by contacting the church office at (509) 235-6261, or via the website at cheneynaz.com.