Pastor Eric Feuerstein and his wife, Robbie.

"(I plan to) re-introduce a little bit more traditional worship style and some traditional hymn songs at the 11 o'clock service," Feuerstein said. "I'll still use some contemporary music from 30 years ago up through today."

As part of his duties, he also works with the youth group.

"I love working with the youth," Feuerstein said. "We're going to be meeting Saturday nights until at least school starts."

The youth will host a pancake breakfast fundraiser at 6 p.m. July 28 in the Fellowship Hall at Ninth and Main streets.

Also, the Methodist Church and Presbyterian Church have joined forces to host Vacation Bible School from 5:30-8:30 p.m. July 23-27 at the church. VBS will feature "Under Construction," in cooperation with the Habitat for Humanity. Feuerstein noted a light snack would be served at 4:30 p.m. each evening prior to VBS.

In addition, he plans to continue working with the Cañon City Ministerial Alliance in its endeavors to organize ShareFest in the fall, where numerous volunteers go out into the community to help struggling families with projects around their homes. He also plans to participate in the Easter Sunrise Service at the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park.

"I'm very excited about the connection of the church with this community," Feuerstein said. "Cañon City isn't too big and still has small town interrelationships. That's one thing I like about this community. We're connected with the Episcopal Church, who helps out with the Saturday Suppers and the Presbyterians, who are helping with Vacation Bible School."

Born Jan. 16, 1961, in Greeley, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science in 1983 from Colorado State College in Fort Collins, where he met and married Robbie after his graduation.

After college, Feuerstein worked for Macy's Department Store for 18 years, which started as the Denver Dry Goods store before he transferred to Arizona with Goldwaters, which later became Robinson's May. He then transferred back to Colorado with May D&F. While working as a store manager, he attended the Berthoud United Methodist Church, where his wife was a member in her childhood. He taught Sunday school, worked with the youth group and read the scriptures during worship service.

"I was taking a lay speaking class to learn more about reading scriptures in church," Feuerstein said. "It was at the lay speaking class I got my call (to become a pastor)."

But he didn't accept it at first.

"I tried to run away from my call for about two years," Feuerstein said. "God kept after me (and) I finally answered."

In the fall of 2003, he took a night class at the Iliff Bible School of Theology in Denver.

"I liked it," he said. "It confirmed my call."

So he quit his job and went back to school full time at the same seminary, where he earned a master's degree in divinity in 2006. During college, he worked as a student pastor at Evans United Methodist Church before becoming a full-time minister at his first church in Springfield, where he remained for six years.

The Feuersteins have a daughter, Erin, who just graduated from West Texas University in Canyon, Texas, and a son, Kyle, who will be a senior at Cañon City High School in the fall.

The First United Methodist Church invites everyone to the early bird service at 8:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall at Ninth and Main streets or a more traditional service at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary at 801 Main St. For more information, call 275-0681.