Monarch Butterfly Photo by Dianna Troyer
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Reverend Ken Bartel is a man with many interests
By Jack McNeel When you hear of a Lutheran Pastor who rode a Harley to the big motorcycle roundup in Sturgis, South Dakota, in addition to being an actor and singer, you know you’ve got a story. Despite the ultimate focus of his work, Pinehurst’s Reverend Ken Bartel
is down to earth. He prefers to be called “Pastor” because it sounds more approachable – just what you would expect from a Harley rider. Pastor Bartel graduated from high school in Great Falls, Montana in 1967. He married his high school sweetheart, Cherri, and later graduated from the College of Great Falls with after studying art, business, and teaching. But about that same time, he got the call to go into the ministry and graduated with a master’s degree from Wartburg Theological Seminary. This year will mark his 36th year in the ministry. He and Cherri moved to Pinehurst 20 years ago. “My wife and I really love the Silver Valley,” he declares. “We have a very friendly congregation. It’s in a very small community but is one of the larger churches in the valley. I love the ministry. It’s been just wonderful. I especially like that no one day is the same as the next, there’s always something new going on. A telephone call can change your entire day.” When the time comes to retire, they plan to remain in the Silver Valley and have purchased an old house in Kellogg that they remodeling. “We stripped it and are working from the studs out.” His art aptitude reveals itself in the creation of a stained glass window for their future home. “I like to do art work,” he says. He paints landscapes and still lifes, refinishes furniture, loves to do landscaping and gardening. The other thing he loves is riding his Harley – not a comment you usually hear from your pastor. (Continued on page 31)