The Rev. Dr. Shannon Smythe moved from the Seattle area to become the new pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Westfield. Photo by David Prenatt

WESTFIELD — The Rev. Dr. Shannon Smythe came a long way to become the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Westfield, but it looks like her journey has brought her home.

Smythe, who was officially chosen as the new pastor of the oldest organized church in Chautauqua County, relocated to Westfield from more than 2,500 miles away in Burien, a city just outside of Seattle, Wash.

“I had never heard of Westfield,” she said recently with a laugh. “To be honest, the church found me.”

Smythe explained that the Presbyterian Church has an online program for churches seeking a pastor or for pastors seeking a church.

“It’s almost like a match-making site,” she said. “They had come across me in their search for a new pastor.”

Representatives from the church reached out to Smythe in early summer. After the usual back and forth exchange of information, Smythe, her husband, Kevin Subers, and their son, Micah, traveled to Westfield for a first meeting.

“It went better than any of us expected,” she said. “We were really open to where God might be calling me next.”

It wasn’t long before the pastor nominating committee, which had been commissioned by the congregation, contacted Smythe and said they had chosen her to be their pastor.

“This all happened really quickly,” she said. “The church voted for me to be the pastor on Sunday, Sept. 15.” Smythe was officially announced as the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church on Oct. 1.

The decision was not an easy one, Smythe said. Not only would Smythe be leaving her current position but Kevin, a social worker, would also need to find new employment.

“We stood outside the church on our first visit praying to know if this was the right thing to do,” she said.

It didn’t take long, however, for Smythe and her family to believe they had made the right decision.

“When we were first doing our research, we were struck by how much was going on in this area. It was really nice to see that, while it is a small community, it has a lot going on,” she said.

Smythe said she and her husband were struck by the fact that everyone spoke so highly of the county. She noted that her family loves outdoor events and activities, and her family finds the area, in general, to be very attractive.

It was the people of the congregation, however, that were the greatest affirmation.

“We kind of fell in love with the people on the search committee,” she said. “We felt a kinship or a bond of where the church would like to head.”

This is Smythe’s first assignment as a full-time pastor. Prior to this, she was a professor of Theology at Seattle Pacific University and Seminary. She has more than 13 years of pastoral experience and has authored several books.

Smythe said that a primary goal of the Westfield church is to reignite their ministry to children, youth and their families. The greater part of the congregation come from the generation of the baby boomers and before, however, they seem open to change, she said.

No matter what generation a person comes from, Smythe said, one must be able to face change. “The reality is that the church should constantly be changing. I believe God comes in the new situations that are facing us,” she said.