The Rev. Lindsay D. Churchman, 54, of Eureka passed away on Saturday, September 19 at Advocate Eureka Hospital after a brief but intense battle with cancer. He was fifty-four. Lindsay was born on November 22, 1960 in Washington, Iowa to L. Duane and Darlene Sims Churchman. He married Jennie Huff Churchman on June 14, 1997. She survives.
Also surviving are daughters Emily Margaret of Watauga, TX and Rachel Ann of Eureka; his mother Darlene of Ankeny, IA; brothers Dan (Debi) Churchman of Monument, CO and Doug (Kelli) Churchman of Ankeny, IA; sister Leah (Drew Van Meeteren) Churchman of Ankeny, IA; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father and one niece, Jess Peyton Van Meeteren.
Lindsay received a Bachelor of Music Education from Iowa Wesleyan College in 1983 and a Master of Divinity from Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University in 1999. He was ordained in The United Methodist Church as a Deacon in 1997 and as an Elder in 2001. He served numerous congregations in the Central Texas Conference and was Director of the Wesley Foundation at TCU before moving to the Illinois Great Rivers Conference where he served as Pastor of Washburn and Henry United Methodist Churches and Associate Pastor of First United Methodist Church Normal.
Lindsay was actively involved in the Order of Saint Luke, a religious order within The United Methodist Church dedicated to sacramental and liturgical scholarship, and also participated in many Conference committees and boards. He served on the alumni councils of Brite Divinity School, TCU, and Iowa Wesleyan College and on the Board of Directors at Maple Lawn Homes in Eureka. He was also an Oblate of St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, Arkansas. His greatest passion in ministry was working with the Upper Room's Academy for Spiritual Formation. He served on leadership teams for many Five-Day Academies and one Two-Year Academy.
Lindsay loved his family first and foremost. He was a dedicated family man. He also loved to play golf; to watch sports (especially hockey, English Premier League soccer, and college football); to read Cold War spy novels and Dick Francis mysteries; to listen to classical and sacred choral music from his extensive collection; to make pizza from scratch for the weekly Family Pizza Night; and to watch his favorite TV shows and movies. For ten years, he sang with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra Chorus. He also loved all things Disney. He was beloved by his parishioners and respected by his colleagues. His family will miss him deeply.
The family would like to thank the many health care professionals who walked with us in this journey. We would like to extend a special word of gratitude to Dr. Christopher Hughes of Eureka.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 3 at 5pm at First United Methodist Church Normal with the Rev. Dr. Don Jackson, the Rev. Kim Burke, the Rev. Ted Mitchell, and the Rev. Beth Fender officiating. Visitation will be held at the church prior to the service beginning at 3pm. Memorial gifts may be made to the Academy for Spiritual Formation at The Upper Room Ministries, P.O. Box 340004, Nashville, TN, 37203-0004 or go to http://academy.upperroom.org/donations for online giving.