Our Pastor
Pastor Benjamin Richison was born and raised in Riverbank, California, where he met the love of his life, Sarah. The two were married in 2009 and eventually moved to Iowa to raise their family. After six years in Iowa, Benjamin answered the call to serve his country in the United States Army, completing two contracts before returning home to Iowa to begin life once again.
Having worked a wide variety of occupations in his youth and post-military life, Benjamin enrolled at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, graduating with an Associate of Arts. It was during his final semester there that he accepted the call to ministry. Following the Lord’s direction, he then pursued this calling at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry. Guided by incredible mentors and professors who cared for him both inside and outside the classroom, his time studying theology and pastoral ministry deeply formed the core of his ministerial calling and beliefs.
Benjamin and Sarah are blessed with four children: Abigail (aka “Bee”), 16; Olivia (aka “Via”), 14; Madelyn (aka “Maddy”), 11; and Jackson (aka “Jack”), 9. When he is not in the church office or at the parsonage, Benjamin can typically be found walking around Boone or visiting with his extended family in Pocahontas, Iowa. In his downtime, he enjoys going fishing, reading a book, or putting on his headphones to play a Star Wars game.
Above all, Benjamin is excited to step into this new season of ministry with the Boone Church of the Nazarene. His deepest desire is to faithfully follow the will of the Father, represent Jesus Christ well to everyone he meets, and lead in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Emeritus (1988–2021)
Rev. Eugene (Pastor Gene) Jipson was born in Lincoln, Maine and was raised in Medway, Maine. He met his wife Kathy, who was born and raised in Boone, Iowa, in Olathe, Kansas and were later married in Boone, Iowa.
Pastor Gene received a bachelor of religion degree from Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Massachusetts. He went on further and received a master of divinity degree from Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri.
Pastor Gene is excited about the opportunity to serve the Lord at the Boone Church of the Nazarene where he has pastored since 1988. He feels God has called him to Boone to lead individuals into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Pastor Gene is grateful he had the privilege of leading his mother into a personal relationship with Jesus.
Pastor Gene and Kathy have one son Jeff.
On December 15, 2013 the Boone Church of the Nazarene with friends & family celebrated the 25 years that Pastor Gene has pastored the Boone Church of the Nazarene.
On Sunday December 23, 2018 friends & family celebrated 30 years that Pastor Gene has pastored the Boone Church of the Nazarene.
On Sunday June 13, 2021 Pastor Gene retired after serving faithfully for 33 years as the pastor of Boone Church of the Nazarene. He will be truly missed.
