Mead replaces Lincoln as pastor, after long journey

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Almost 50 years ago, Victoria Mead was a nameless, homeless and parentless 2-year old child living on the streets of Seoul, South Korea.

She said she was diseased, dirty, nearly starving to death — and everything else that comes from living on the streets as a helpless child. Mead was found, given a name, taken care of, and eventually adopted by a family in New Jersey in 1973.

Today, she is the new pastor of Jordan River Church in Charles City, the administrator of Messiah’s Food Pantry and the new pastor at United Church of Christ in Colwell.

“When I think about it, the Lord brought me from South Korea, and I landed in Iowa,” Mead said. “There has to be a purpose for that.”

The road from there to here was a difficult and sometimes painful one, but Mead said she’s been blessed by the love of Jesus Christ throughout her journey.

As of June 1, Mead has replaced Deb Lincoln in her position as minister and as the food pantry administrator. Lincoln has ministered to the community and served its citizens for the last 25 years, but has now officially retired.

Mead has been working with Lincoln as her mentor for the last year, and has been “getting acclimated with the people and the community.” She said when she and Lincoln met, it was clear to both of them that Mead was chosen to take Lincoln’s place.

“When we met, we just felt the presence of the Holy Spirit,” Mead said. “It was a divine alignment.”

Mead and her husband, Jamey, live in Charles City. The two met in a ministry in New Jersey, and were offered an opportunity to do a domestic mission in Cresco, at the Midwest Bible Training Center. Her husband still serves there and is the program overseer.

“These are people who were afflicted with life-altering addictions,” Mead said. “They chose Jesus as the answer to their recovery.”

The couple raised three children. The youngest is a recent high school graduate and attending college in the fall, their middle child is currently living in California, and their oldest child passed away in 2017.

So Mead has experienced devastating loss as well homelessness, abandonment and hunger. She said those struggles are in her, and she uses them as she ministers to others in need.

“It’s not just about being a Christian, it’s about truly living for Jesus,” Mead said. “It’s about loving other people.”

Ordained in Philadelphia, Mead has ministered in her home state of New Jersey as well as Maine and several other places.

“Throughout my journey, I’ve been able to be a part of great ministries,” she said. “The Lord has blessed me to be a part of that.”

Mead said she has already gotten to know the congregation in Colwell as well as the people who work at the food pantry.

“The people who I’ve come across and have met have been a blessing, both at the food pantry and the church, and just Charles City in general,” she said. “The people I’ve come across have been really loving.”

She said she doesn’t know that she’ll make any big changes, but said she will look to Jesus for direction.

“It’s all about a love for people,” Mead said. “If they have a need, we want to be able to meet that need, whether it be physically, spiritually, emotionally.”

She plans to keep the food pantry accessible and hopes to eventually have Thursday services at Jordan River again. She also said she believes there is going to be a community kitchen again.

She said the food pantry will be open on Wednesdays in July, with the goal of eventually being open Monday, Wednesday and Friday again.