A Reconciling Congregation on Terrace Drive
St. Timothys United Methodist Church sits at 3220 Terrace Drive in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where it has gathered families in the Cedar Valley since the early 1950s. The congregation joined the Reconciling Ministries Network in 2007 and describes itself as an "open, loving, and caring" community that welcomes people of every age, race, ethnicity, ability, family structure, economic circumstance, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Worship is at the center of life here, and a steady rhythm of justice and outreach work carries the church into the surrounding neighborhoods of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro.
What "Reconciling" Means Here
The reconciling identity is more than a label. The congregation's statement of values commits it to proclaiming "Jesus' love and justice to all" and to "living out God's unending love through the inclusiveness and welcoming of all persons, including those of all sexual orientations and gender identities." Practically, the congregation pledges to use inclusive language and practices, to make clear to the wider community that all are welcome, to learn about the lives and concerns of LGBTQ+ neighbors, and to support the same civil protections for all people regardless of orientation.
St. Timothys also keeps three words - inclusive, progressive, compassionate - at the heart of how it describes itself. Inclusive means welcoming all of creation and treating every person as sacred. Progressive means taking the Bible seriously without treating it literally, encouraging open questions, and rejecting uses of Christianity to gain power over others. Compassionate means seeking to understand before being understood and working for equality in wealth and healthcare for all.
Sunday Mornings at St. Tims
Worship gathers every Sunday at 10:10 a.m., and the unusual start time is intentional. The service is held in person and livestreamed on YouTube, so anyone who cannot travel can still join in. A children's message is woven into the service, and activities continue during the remaining worship time for younger participants. Older youth sit with the adults rather than meeting separately. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month, following the United Methodist practice of welcoming everyone to the table, including children.
Music in worship is led by Director of Music Ministries Lauren Leman and Accompanist Vakhtang Kodanashvili. The sanctuary chancel holds a Trinity sculpture, cross, candlesticks, and altar cloths added in 1978, paired with an organ that has anchored worship since 1994. Music licensing for livestreamed services is handled through OneLicense.
Learning Before and After Worship
Adult Bible Study and Discussion meets at 9:00 a.m. each Sunday in the Conference Room, before worship begins. It is also offered via Zoom for those who wish to join remotely; the link is available by request through the church office. The class is open to newcomers and longtime members alike, and it pairs study with conversation. Most Sundays, the service is followed by a fellowship hour in the Fellowship Hall with coffee, treats, and time to linger, giving visitors an easy way to get to know people before heading home.
Worship, Program, and Music Leadership
The congregation is served by a pastoral and program staff that reflects the church's commitment to thoughtful, inclusive ministry. Rev. Scott Lothe serves as Pastor, with Rev. Martha Bennett as Visitation Pastor. Kate Kitzman directs programming and education for all ages. Lauren Leman directs music, and Vakhtang Kodanashvili accompanies services. Archer Trip coordinates Children and Youth Ministries. The church's ministry to children begins in worship itself, with a children's message and follow-up activities during the service, rather than a separate children's church hour.
An Open Door for Newcomers
The welcome extends past the sanctuary itself. Visitors arriving for the first time are pointed to the west entrance by the parking lot, where a Welcome Center greets newcomers with nametags and friendly faces. St. Timothys tells visitors to wear whatever they like, since the church offers "a casual and comfortable worship atmosphere." Communion is open to all who wish to receive it.
The church's words to newcomers address the question of belief directly: "No one at St. Tims will tell you what you should believe. We are all on a journey together to discern how we can best share God's boundless love." Whether exploring faith for the first time, returning after time away, or looking for a progressive, open community, visitors are invited to come as they are, and to stay for coffee and treats after the service in the Fellowship Hall.
The Food Closet
The congregation's longest-running direct service is St. Timothys Food Closet, which opens on the third Friday of each month from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Most of the food supply is purchased through the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, with supplemental items bought elsewhere as needed. Requests for assistance are made in advance by contacting the church office, and donations of food, funding, and non-food items such as cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products, and pet food can be left in a drop-box in the entry area outside the sanctuary. The annual Souper Bowl Sunday fundraiser, held around the Super Bowl, supports the Food Closet and replaces traditional game-day snacks with donations for neighbors in need.
Community Meals and Hunger Relief
Every Tuesday a free community meal is served in Scott Hall at First United Methodist Church in Cedar Falls. St. Timothys shares responsibility for that meal with other metro congregations, taking its turn the third Tuesday of every other month. Members of the congregation help prepare food and serve it alongside other volunteers.
Each October the church joins the CROP Walk, a Church World Service effort that raises funds to fight hunger locally and around the world. In past years, walkers from other congregations have been hosted at St. Timothys for refreshments on their route, connecting the congregation's monthly food ministry to a broader, worldwide effort against hunger.
Partners in Education
Since becoming a Partner in Education with Dr. Walter Cunningham School for Excellence in Waterloo, the congregation has built several ongoing relationships with students and staff. Members serve as mentors, collect Hy-Vee grocery receipts to benefit the school, support the annual Carnival by donating sweets for the Cake Walk, take part in trick-or-treat activities, and supply hats and mittens for students each winter.
At Christmas, the Adopt-A-Family project gathers gifts and essential clothing for three to five families, while the Mitten Tree fills with mittens, scarves, hats, underwear, and socks for children at the partner school. Wrapped gifts are delivered in time for the holiday.
Wider Outreach and Justice Work
The congregation has long-standing ties to mission work beyond Cedar Falls. Through the years, members have packed grains for the hungry through missions agencies, assembled dignity kits for Midwest Mission, woven plarn sleeping mats for people without housing, rung bells for the Salvation Army, and prepared casseroles for Hospitality House. The church participates in Cedar Valley Pridefest each year, running a booth at the festival in Waterloo and greeting attendees from across Eastern Iowa.
Members are encouraged to act on three commitments in their everyday lives: working actively to aid those in need, working to change systems that keep people in poverty, and being committed to social justice. The congregation's outreach in the Cedar Valley is built on the recognition that justice work and direct service go hand in hand.
A Building with a Story
The roots of St. Timothys go back to a single phone call in the early 1950s. William Galloway, a Waterloo industrialist and realtor, called his friend Dr. Frank Court, a Methodist minister, and said, "We have a property in Cedarloo on which I am sure the Divine Creator planned to have erected a church in His Honor and Glory." Dr. Court canvassed the area, and on May 23, 1952, forty-three people gathered at Cedar Heights School for an organizational meeting. The Rev. Edward Meyer was appointed as the first pastor in June, and the first worship service drew eighty people on June 29, 1952.
The new congregation worshiped in the Cedar Heights School auditorium for fourteen months while its own building went up. Ground was broken in March 1953, and construction of what is now the Fellowship Hall, kitchen, and gathering space began that year. Bishop F. Gerald Ensley consecrated the original building on September 20, 1953, by which time membership had grown to eighty-two, with one hundred children and adults in Sunday School. A parsonage followed in 1956.
In 1958, the building committee hired Waterloo architect Keith Lorensen, and the present sanctuary was consecrated by Bishop Gerald Ensley on September 25, 1960. The sanctuary's distinctive design was meant to put worshipers in a circle around the Christ-centered pulpit, allowing no one to sit more than a few rows deep. Congregation members often said, "The church roof is held up by faith alone."
A two-floor, 6,200-square-foot educational wing was added in 1965 under the Rev. Roger Russell. During the late 1960s, the congregation joined several other churches to create the Logandale Housing Project in Waterloo for low-income families. In 1987, under the Rev. Dan Herndon, the congregation adopted a Statement of Inclusiveness - the first step toward the reconciling identity it would claim formally two decades later.
More recent milestones include a 1994 replacement of the original organ, the air conditioning of the sanctuary in 1999, the arrival of the Montessori System School in the building that same year, and a major 2005 renovation of the sanctuary, offices, and main hallways. The mortgage for the 2005 work was paid in full by 2010. The church celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2002 and its 60th anniversary in 2012, and it continues to grow in body and spirit under the leadership of Rev. Scott Lothe.
The Montessori System School at the Building
Since 1999, the Montessori System School and Childcare has shared the 3220 Terrace Drive building with St. Timothys, continuing the congregation's long history of sharing space with community programs. The school operates with its own phone line, email, and classrooms, offering families in the Cedar Valley access to Montessori education and childcare alongside the church's ministry.
What to Know Before You Visit
The church office is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Visitors can call 319-266-0464, email St.Tims.Office.52@gmail.com, or simply show up at the west entrance on a Sunday morning. Worship begins at 10:10 a.m., livestreamed on YouTube, and is followed by conversation and treats. Adult study gathers at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays in the Conference Room or via Zoom. Communion is open to all on the first Sunday of each month. Newcomers can request a visit from Pastor Scott Lothe or share prayer requests through the church office, and the monthly newsletter, Tims Tales, is available on request in printed form.