After months of looking, Trinity Lutheran Church has a new pastor.

Pastor Bruce W. Barth will hold his first service at the Trinity Church at 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 3.

Charlie McCrum is Trinity’s congregational president and a member of the church for more than 25 years and said they have been without a full time minister since April.

During the interim church messages have been delivered by members of the Interim Task Force. The task force includes retired clergy who are members of Trinity Lutheran Church

“We have had different folks filling in weekly,” said McCrum.

Barth is moving to Bonners Ferry from the Nebraska Synod where he has most recently served as director of prison ministry for the Lutheran church and the pastor of “Followers of Christ,” a congregation of inmates inside the state penitentiary.

With 40 years of experience as an ordained clergyman, he has made learning a lifelong project.

He attended Colgate University, Yale Divinity School, Concordia Seminary and the University of Maryland where he earned a Ph.D. in human development.

In addition to his routine pastoral duties he is also a trained and licensed professional psychotherapist in individual, marriage and family counseling. 

Barth has worked extensively with groups in growth workshops and in spiritual development. He has served as advisor to many outside organizations and agencies and also published occasional articles. 

Barth’s wife, Barbara, is a parish nurse and is active with her husband in many facets of human growth wholeness. 

Trinity church is excited about working with Barthwithin the congregation and the community. 

“He is a great guy full of fun and very intelligent and witty,” said McCrum.