The First United Methodist Church would like to welcome Pastor David L. (Dave) Blackwell.  We are fortunate to have a Pastor with so many outstanding qualifications including a B.A. in Special Education from Adams State College where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.  He was a Special Education teacher and Vocational Specialist for 20 years earning the Teacher of the Year award in 1991 as Lead Special Education Teacher.

Pastor Blackwell attended St. Paul's Seminary and Duke University.  He was ordained as a Full Elder in the United Methodist Church in 2004.  He has served Methodist churches in New Mexico for 20 years and Texas for 3 years.  Most recently, he was the Pastor at Trinidad United Methodist Church from 2019-2020 until he began serving the Cañon City First United Methodist Church.

Born in 1953 in Denver, his experience in Special Education and serving in ministry will be an advantage for us.  Nominated three times for the Evangelism Award, he received the award twice.  This prestigious award, presented at each annual conference, honors outstanding personal evangelism in ministry of United Methodist Church.

Although he retired from the New Mexico Conference of United Methodist Churches in June of 2018, he is still called to inspire disciples for work in Christian evangelism.  "I do not do anything for myself", he said, "There are many people who help me do what God has led me to do."  He plans to continue the high quality of missionary work existing at First United Methodist Church in Cañon City.

Pastor Blackwell currently lives in Cañon City with his wife, Peggy.  They are blessed with two children: Jeremy, 41 and Erinnmarie, 30.  They also have three grandchildren: Mariah, 18, Jacoby, 9 and McKayla, 9.

Since his assignment to Cañon City began during the COVID-19 pandemic, services are celebrated at 10:00 AM on the lawn at 801 Main St. to maintain social distancing.  Bring your own lawn chair.  Services are broadcast live on Facebook at 10:00 AM in the event of inclement weather.  Search "Canon City First United Methodist Church."