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Bartlesville
Posted: May 07, 2025 9:57 AMUpdated: May 07, 2025 12:00 PM
Bartlesville First United Methodist Names New Pastor
Tom Davis
With the upcoming retirement of Rev. Dr. Greg Tener, Bartlesville First United Methodist Church is honoring him for his years of service as they welcome their new Pastor, Terry Koehn.
Appearing on COMMUNITY CONNECTION, former Senator John Ford and Pam Bilger from Bartlesville First United Methodist Church told us about this change in their church. John likened it to a track relay race where you have about a 20 meter section where one runner passes a baton to the other. John said, "That is a critical part of your success, and at the church, we're transitioning from one pastor to another pastor and we think it's important that we plan that transition because it's good for the church, it's good for the members, it's good for the community."
Rev. Dr. Greg Tener has been the pastor for the last seven years. He's been a pastor for 32 years. Greg and his wife have decided it's time to retire. They're headed to Oklahoma City area to be with their family.
Pam said, "He's done a wonderful job for our church and we want to give him a very positive send-off."
John said,"One of his goals in retirement is to read 300 books a year."
Terry Keenan will take over Bartlesville First United Methodist Church. Keenan told John Ford that he is a left-handed, adopted, working-class, generation X, Pentecostal preacher's kid reared in northeast Oklahoma. He has two grown children, both are adopted as he was adopted and three grandchildren. According to what he told Ford, Keenan is one of about 20 siblings, but the youngest of seven in his adopted family.
More on Koehn's background: he grew up in Oklahoma City, earned his undergraduate degree in biblical and pastoral studies from Southwestern Christian University in Bethany (where he met his wife). He got his master's of divinity from St. Paul's School of Theology in Kansas City and earned his doctorate from Ashland Ohio Theological Seminary.
For the last six years, Koehn has been the district superintendent of the church for northeast Oklahoma. His interests include OU sports, watching NASCAR and he'll talk at length about Route 66.
The church will hold a big celebration for Rev. Dr. Greg Tener on June 1st with a big all-church dinner. Pam said, "There's going to be some surprises and just hope it's a great day for Greg and Judy. And it's immediately following the service that morning. Yes, his own service."
June 29th will be Terry Koenh's first Sunday and once again the church is going to celebrate with having everybody after church and have a nice meal for him and start to get to know him and find out his journey and how we're going to just continue to grow our church.
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