The abbreviated TCSM Story     

     We are a group of three churches which share a pastor and ministry to our communities.  We are the Presbyterian Presence in northern Pettis County, Missouri, and southwest Cooper County Missouri.  We have grown together out of a common concern for our futures.  

     In 1992, with the aid of the Congregational Development Committee (CDC) of Missouri Union Presbytery, and Executive Presbyter M. Anderson Sale, a group of churches, numbering about 12 churches met to discuss similar problems.  By 1993, two churches, Longwood Presbyterian and Otterville Presbyterian joined together to begin the Tri-County Specialized Ministry, and with the assistance of the CDC, the executive, and representatives of Broadway Presbyterian, Knob Noster Presbyterian, and Range Line Presbyterian, began drafting grant requests to begin the ministry.  By late 1993 funding at the Presbytery, Synod, and General Assembly levels, as well as local funding was approved for a five year program to allow the Longwood and Otterville churches to call a pastor.

     In July of 1994 Rev. James Rodda was called as the Pastor of Longwood and Otterville Presbyterian churches as well as the Director of the Tri-County Specialized Ministries.  In December of 1995, Rev Rodda, was called to the Church Triumphant, and the churches continued with temporary supply pastors.  In May 1998 the two churches called Rev. Roger Manley who served until May 1999.

     In June of 1999, the Range Line Presbyterian Church joined together with the Longwood and Otterville Presbyterian churches, to increase the number of participating churches, and to avoid any addition funding from outside sources which may cause a new pastor's time to be used away from the churches. 

     In October of 1999, the churches called CLP Leo Birk, who had been serving the Knob Noster Church, and who had been in on the planning and work of the churches since 1992, as a designated pastor for a three year term.  In July 2003, after having completed the requirements, Rev. Leo Birk was ordained as a minister of Word and Sacrament, and served as the Pastor of the three churches until his untimely death in May, 2006.

    After Rev. Birk's death, Rev. Tim Kiser from Missouri Valley College, pastored the three churches, serving as an interim minister until August 2007. 

In the fall of 2006, we organized a Pastor Nominating Committee with members from each church, and began our search for a full-time pastor to serve our three rural churches.  Finally, during the summer months of 2007 we called a new pastor to our churches.  On September 2, 2007, we welcomed Rev. Patricia K. Roller into our churches and to minister to our needs.   Now, we welcome you to come worship with us.  See you in church!