Algona First United Methodist Church

In moving to Algona, Mike and JoAnn Orthel are coming back to their roots.  Mike grew up in Buffalo Center.  (His parents hailed from Titonka until they moved to Buffalo Center to farm.  The Doan UMC was the home church of Mike’s mother’s family, the Buffingtons!) JoAnn spent her teen years in Humboldt where her parents worked in the Humboldt school system.

Mike graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1969 with a degree in mathematics.  After teaching for a few years, he soon found himself in retail store management, eventually managing grocery stores in Keokuk, Clarion, and Eagle Grove.  Mike entered the ministry in 1986 when he was appointed to the Stewart Memorial UMC (Vinton)/Urbana UMC charge in the Waterloo District.  During this time he attended the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, graduating in 1989.  He served his first full time appointment at Colfax UMC. He was the founding pastor of Jordan Creek UMC, a new church in West Des Moines and then moved on to Kalona UMC where he served for the last six years.

 JoAnn graduated from Morningside College in 1971 with a degree in music education.  She taught school for a few years but has concentrated on private music lessons, teaching piano and voice from her home.  (She’s interested in doing the same in Algona.)  JoAnn has been an active partner in the churches Mike has served, leading choirs, teaching Sunday School, and being active in the UMW.  She has served in several Conference & District level offices of the UMW and is currently a candidate for an office at the General Conference level of the women’s Division.  JoAnn writes music and occasionally and shares it with the church.  (She wrote the tune for the calypso-style UMW Purpose Song used in many Conference gatherings.)

Mike and JoAnn were married on December 30, 1972.  They had a daughter, Ruth, who died the same day she was born in 1977.  With the exception of a sister who lives in Palmer, the rest of JoAnn’s family (her parents, a brother and a sister) lives out of state.  Mike’s family consists of six living siblings—four sisters and two brothers.  All but two of them live within an hour and a half of Algona.  It’s good to be home!

The Orthel’s look forward to getting to know you and learning how we fit into the Algona community.