SMITHWICK -- There’s a new pastor, George Keehner, at Prairie View United Methodist Church, 28309 Sunny Brook Road, near Smithwick, where parishioners are appreciating a solid Bible study with every sermon.
Keehner grew up in Florida, joined the Air Force right after graduation. Twenty-one years later he retired as a Tech Sergeant. He had served as an aircraft mechanic at RAF Bentwaters Suffolk, England, Ellsworth AFB; McChord AFB, Tacoma, Wash.; Eglin AFB, Valparaiso, Fla.; Kunsan AFB, South Korea, and Fairchild AFB, Spokane, Wash. In addition to his Air Force time, he has led a varied life.
During his time in Washington, he and his wife Michelle were foster parents, with the culmination of adoption of four children. After retiring, the family moved to Rapid City where Michelle’s parents lived, bringing the family full circle.
“When I got out of the Air Force, I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Keehner said. “After that many years of knowing, I had to figure it out by taking various jobs. Among my endeavors, I worked at Lowe’s, was quality control at a gun manufacturer, managed the housing and cleaning staff in a nursing home, was a manager at Sears Automotive and was a professional cook for four years.”
Thirty years after graduating from high school, Keehner earned his B.A. in Business Management. During this time, Michelle had her second bought of ovarian cancer and succumbed.
Keehner and his current wife Carolyn both lost spouses in 2013. After they met, they shared their grief, got acquainted, and ultimately married eight years ago. Keehner searched for a local faith-based grief support group but found none. He went online and located GriefShare.com, a non-denominational faith-based program. GriefShare is a 13-week program that uses a book, videos, and discussions over two-hour sessions to help people through their grief. It is nationwide and has a searchable location portal. Registrants can also view and/or review the videos online. Keehner became a group leader. The couple is active in leading and doing the work of GriefShare in Rapid City. They are looking to help establish such a group through Prairie View.
Keehner became a certified lay minister about the same time as he got involved with GriefShare. He filled pulpits in the area as needed and that is how he got acquainted with Prairie View. Their parsonage home is near Angostura. He will be taking courses this summer to propel him to the level of Licensed Local Minister, a specific position within the United Methodist Church.
Carolyn continues to work parttime in Rapid City. She is a notary and can facilitate signing notary documents over video; it’s a process that has to be followed just as carefully as an in-person notary performs.
Prairie View is located east off of Highway 385, about five miles south of the Coffee Cup Travel Center. Community members know the church as the first Saturday breakfast, held each month. Funds from those breakfasts pay for registration for various church camps for kids and adults. Come and worship on Sunday mornings at 10 or watch online through Facebook. Opportunities for fellowship and fun abound with the many activities in which the congregation takes part. Come join in at the chrch where the only thing missing is “u.”