The Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Walnut welcomed the Rev. Kevin Koester in as its new assistant pastor during a ceremony May 20. Koester also serves as the new principal of Christ Lutheran School in Sterling.

Music for the service was provided by cantor Scott Gerken of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Brookfield and Julia Koester, one of Kevin Koester’s daughters. Gerken led the singing on the organ while Julia played the clarinet.

On May 21, Koester preached to the church for the first time before being installed as principal of Christ Lutheran School.

Koester spent the past decade serving as pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church and School in Brookfield. Before that, he served a dual parish in rural Missouri.

He is the treasurer of the Northern Illinois District Pastors’ Conference and treasurer for Northern Illinois Confessional Lutherans. He also is a regular attendee and occasional presenter at Lutheran education conferences. Koester is married and has three children.