Dr. Rev. Chuck Klink
As a minister for the Iowa United Methodist Church, Rev. Dr. Charles Klink has been an active ordained minister in the Iowa Conference since 1978. Currently, as a retired Iowa Conference pastor, Dr. Klink is appointed (clergy in the United Methodist system are appointed to parishes by a resident Bishop) to the less-than-fulltime pastor for the Rochester United Methodist Church and the Springdale United Methodist Church. Before entering the ordained ministry, Dr. Klink received his education from: West Central of Maynard (kindergarten-high school); Upper Iowa University, Fayette, Iowa (1972-1975; BA in Religion and Communication); University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa (Master of Divinity in Religion -- 1980); following his entering parish ministry, he later obtained a Dr. of Ministry degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary -- May, 1990.
Dr. Klink grew up on a dairy farm in rural Maynard, Iowa, the first of three children to Norman and Martha Klink. During the post-high-school educational pursuits, he met Margaret Ernst, daughter of Louis and Ila Ernst who farmed in rural West Branch/Iowa City area (Margaret is a graduate of West Branch High School, graduating in 1974). They met while attending Upper Iowa University, and were married in January of 1976. They have two children: Kiersten (Klink) Onanga, who is a social worker (MSW) in the Iowa City area, and whose husband (Dr. Blanchard Onanga) is from Gabon, Africa and recently a new citizen of the United States. Dr. Onanga teaches at a charter school in Davenport, and is also a writer. They have four children. The other child is Ian Klink, who is an instructor (Master's degree) at a non-traditional school in Delaware where he teaches Theatre/Speech/Fine Arts.
Dr. Klink, following his retirement from full-time ministry, continued in the role called "less-than-full-time" ministry, which, in the United Methodist system, had him appointed to the churches of Keswick and Webster UMC's until this past June, when the Bishop of Iowa appointed him as the pastor of Springdale and Rochester. Having grown up on a dairy farm, having married Margaret whose father raised beef on their farm in rural West Branch, and having been both spent their lives to-date in congregations across the state of Iowa (rural and urban), Dr. Klink has a good understanding of the importance of a solid faith for helping persons in a world of unknown natural and human challenges of life. He and Margaret are both glad to be sharing their lives with the people of the Rocheser and Springdale communities and area and look forward to meeting and greeting any and all!