Pastor and Head of Staff
The Reverend Dr. Blythe Denham Kieffer
Pastor and Head of Staff
Dr. Kieffer became Westminster’s Pastor and Head of Staff in October of 2013. She previously served two large Presbyterian congregations in the metro St. Louis area: First United Presbyterian in Belleville and Webster Groves Presbyterian in Webster Groves, Missouri. Blythe has a deep appreciation for the rich history of Westminster and this capital city.
Dr. Kieffer grew up in the Chicago suburb of South Holland, Illinois. She was raised in the Reformed Church of America before joining Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, which sponsored her ordination. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hope College, a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry degree with an emphasis in Pastoral Counseling from Eden Theological Seminary. Blythe is a member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors which recently merged with the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education.
Blythe serves on the Contact Ministries Board of Directors in Springfield, IL, representing WPC who was among the founding congregations of this Springfield outreach, and she is a member of the Care and Counseling, Inc. Advisory Board in St. Louis. She was elected to COGA (Committee on the Office of the General Assembly) in June 2020 and serves in the Class of 2024.
Dr. Kieffer served as a director of the PCUSA Board of Pensions from 2006-2012. She received a 2011 clergy renewal grant from the Lily Foundation. The theme of the sabbatical, Hospitality Rediscovered, included (1) a Medical Mission in Colombia, South America (2) multiple cross-cultural experiences of spirituality and worship in Geneva, Switzerland; Taize, France; and the Isle of Iona, Scotland; and (3) an exploration of her family roots in Holland, Michigan, where ancestors from the Netherlands migrated.
Blythe is married to Dr. Peter S. Kieffer, Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at SIU School of Medicine, who works as the Director of the Acute Care Clinic and also works in the Nursery. Their son, Paul Denham Kieffer, is an Associate at Skadden Law Firm in Houston, TX.
Contact Dr. Kieffer using the Contact form or email her at bkieffer@wpcspi.org
Pastor and Head of Staff
Dr. Kieffer became Westminster’s Pastor and Head of Staff in October of 2013. She previously served two large Presbyterian congregations in the metro St. Louis area: First United Presbyterian in Belleville and Webster Groves Presbyterian in Webster Groves, Missouri. Blythe has a deep appreciation for the rich history of Westminster and this capital city.
Dr. Kieffer grew up in the Chicago suburb of South Holland, Illinois. She was raised in the Reformed Church of America before joining Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, which sponsored her ordination. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hope College, a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry degree with an emphasis in Pastoral Counseling from Eden Theological Seminary. Blythe is a member of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors which recently merged with the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education.
Blythe serves on the Contact Ministries Board of Directors in Springfield, IL, representing WPC who was among the founding congregations of this Springfield outreach, and she is a member of the Care and Counseling, Inc. Advisory Board in St. Louis. She was elected to COGA (Committee on the Office of the General Assembly) in June 2020 and serves in the Class of 2024.
Dr. Kieffer served as a director of the PCUSA Board of Pensions from 2006-2012. She received a 2011 clergy renewal grant from the Lily Foundation. The theme of the sabbatical, Hospitality Rediscovered, included (1) a Medical Mission in Colombia, South America (2) multiple cross-cultural experiences of spirituality and worship in Geneva, Switzerland; Taize, France; and the Isle of Iona, Scotland; and (3) an exploration of her family roots in Holland, Michigan, where ancestors from the Netherlands migrated.
Blythe is married to Dr. Peter S. Kieffer, Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at SIU School of Medicine, who works as the Director of the Acute Care Clinic and also works in the Nursery. Their son, Paul Denham Kieffer, is an Associate at Skadden Law Firm in Houston, TX.
Contact Dr. Kieffer using the Contact form or email her at bkieffer@wpcspi.org