About Us

Hello and Welcome!

My name is Kathi Kraus, and I have been Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Sullivan, since July 2022. I am pleased to welcome you to worship and to invite you to join us on our new journey of being anchored in the love of Christ here at First Presbyterian Church.

Through prayer and study of the Word, I felt God leading me to the ministry. In 2018, I enrolled in Commission Pastor Training through the Presbytery in St. Louis. I completed this two-year course of study, and since then I have served several congregations in the area as supply pastor as well as interim pastor for one church.

Now, as I begin a new phase in my Christian life, as pastor of my home church, I look forward to the future God has for me and for our church. I hope to meet many new friends and share the love of Christ as we seek to serve God in this community. I would love to meet you and your family. Together, we can grow in Christ as we seek His will and purpose for our lives.

I am happily married to my husband Pete of 36 years, and we have five grown children, four of whom are married. We currently have four grandchildren. I home-schooled our children for over 22 years. Pete and I live in the Spring Bluff area where we garden and raise chickens.

I was raised in Maplewood, Missouri, where I attended school at Concordia Lutheran Church School, Kindergarten through the eighth grade. I was confirmed and baptized there. Later, as residents of Cook Station, Missouri, our family attended several Lutheran and Presbyterian churches.

In 2012, we moved to Sullivan where we joined First Presbyterian Church. I served in various capacities as an elder, member of the Mission Committee, leader of the Christian Education Committee, and leader of a weekly Bible study group. I also worked with youth and taught a confirmation class. During this time, I was involved in community projects such as Life House Youth Center and in raising funds to fight human sex trafficking.