Minister

The Rev. Dr. Edward A. Soule has lived in northern Alabama for half his life, joking that he “went through winter for half his life before he realized he had an option.”  He began life in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in Minnesota and Washington State.  After earning his B. A. at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and his M. Div. at Bethel Seminary, he became pastor of First Baptist Church in Grangeville, Idaho. After two years, he went into Christian broadcasting and worked at KFNW AM & FM, Fargo, North Dakota, for a year before “the Lord called him south” to Huntsville.  Ed was the morning announcer and music director at WNDA for nine years.  During that time he met and married his wife, Deborah. 

While still working in radio, he was appointed as a part time minister at Cameron United Methodist Church in 1983.  In 1985, Rev. Soule became a full time United Methodist minister and was appointed to St. Paul  in southwest Huntsville.  After six years at St. Paul, he went to St. John in Florence for three years, and then returned to Madison County to serve the Gurley-Owens Cross Roads charge for three years.  During that time he returned to school at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, where he earned his D. Min, degree in 1998.  Then he served St. Paul in Fort Payne for four years and Stateline in Hazel Green for three years. 

Dr. Soule has been the pastor of Chestnut Grove since June 2005.  He is excited about helping Chestnut Grove to grow and blossom in an area of new growth.  As we move forward together we are planning new ministries to meet the needs of our diverse community.  He is also a firm supporter of missions including those in our backyard like the C.A.R.E. Center and across the globe in China.