Rev. Somsen, a graduate of Western Seminary, came to Leota Bethel in June 1978.

During his pastorate the narthex addition was completed. New pews, ceiling in the sanctuary, and carpet were installed.

The R.C.Y.F. attended the first Rocky Mountain High at Colorado in 1978.

Consistory was enlarged to 12.

Pastor and Evy Somsen are the parents of three girls, Alissa, Leah, and Coby. They left for Sacamento, California in the fall of 1983.
Since leaving Leota he has:
1983-91 Served as senior pastor at Sacramento Community Drive-In Church/Crossroads Community Church, Elk Grove, CA. (The church had been started in 1967 in a drive-in theatre with a vision of being Garden Grove of the north. The church had not grown & had some financial reversals that stymied growth. The change in name was an effort to grasp a new goal & direction for ministry in the 90s)
1991-93 Program Coordinator at Inspiration Hills. (I came on board as the first ever program person. Hilights: Adult programming for Consistories, expanded youth staff, Engaged Encounter weekends.)
1993-98 Pastor of Calvary Reformed Church-Monroe, SD. (Highlights: Community ministry, children's programing, member of the local volunteer fire dept. serving as treas.)
1998-2000 Chaplaincy training at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, La Crosse, WI. (Hilights: full-time pastoral care where I have always found the greatest satisfaction in ministry. work with Advanced Directives/Living Wills/Power of Attorney for Health Care, pulpit supply for area churches of Pres, Lutheran, & UCC)
July 2000- Coordinator of Spiritual Care, Trinity Regional Hospital, Fort Dodge, IA. (Pastoral care, Trauma & Code Blue team, work with Advanced Directives, Ethics Comm, Hospice work, etc.)
Evy is teaching piano & guitar in our home. Daughters: Alissa Ledeboer is a single parent (Ethan-age 4) in school at USD-Vermillion, SD, majoring in English & drama; Leah (married to Kent Kippes) is the mother of 2 boys (Isaac-age 3/Benjamin-age 1 year in April 2001) is a first year med student at USD-Vermillion; Coby has moved home to attend college in Fort Dodge in the nursing program & is planning for a second summer as a camp counselor at Warwick Conf. Center-RCA in NY. He would enjoy hearing from people in Leota, Elk Grove, CA & Monroe, SD and other places, so if you got time drop him a line.

Pastor Philip Somsen's Current Address
1036 S 15th St
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
Phone:(515) 576-5181
Email at revnevy@dodgenet.com