Saratoga Presbyterian Church has new pastor

In August, the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church of Saratoga Wyoming called Steve R. Niccolls, of the California Bay Area, to be their new minister. He is scheduled to deliver his first sermon from the local pulpit Sunday (All Saints Day), with the bible passage from Romans 1:15-17.

Niccolls said he will focus on Luther and his discovery of salvation by faith during his initial appearance here.

Niccolls arrived in Saratoga Tuesday and will soon be joined by his wife, Emily. Later in November the couple plan to move into the Parish House on the west bench.

The local Presbyterian church, at the corner of Third and Bridge streets, has been without a full-time minister for more than a year after health concerns forced the Rev. Helen Young to retire. Since the summer of 2014 church services have been conducted by lay persons and visiting ministers.

A school teacher by vocation, Niccolls said he strongly heard God’s call to attend seminary in 2004 and started his studies for a Masters of Divinity degree through Fuller California’s Northern campus. In 2005 Steve started leading a Drive-In worship service. He noted, “during this period God confirmed my sense that I was being called into full-time ministry as a Teaching Elder.”

In 2013 he finished the M.Div. program at Fuller and in February of this year the San Francisco Presbytery declared Steve ready for ordination, pending a call, which came from Saratoga in August. He will be ordained later in November at his home church in Richmond, Calif.

Steve started his teaching career in 1986 with the West Contra Costa Unified School District, teaching Social Studies in multiple high schools and junior high schools in the district. He also started dating Emily in 1986 and in July 1987 Steve and Emily were married. The couple has two daughters, Susan age 25 just passed the California Bar exam and is working as a second grade teacher and Sarah age 24 who will graduate as an English Education major from Fresno State in May.