OTTUMWA, Iowa (KYOU) - In the Ottumwa community a new congregation is coming together.

But at the center of it all - there’s a leader with a vision and making history.

“I’m the first in the state of Iowa to be accepted and so that is amazing very amazing. We don’t have any Baptist pastors in the state of Iowa as a female,” said Pastor Diane Koger.

Koger is the first Black female Baptist Pastor in Iowa to start a church of her own. A journey that started six years ago at Second Baptist church and prepared her to take the next step.

“When that transition time came from pastoring at second Baptist I thought ok God what’s next. My heart, that was one of the tough times to say goodbye to a transition that God put me in for growth.”

What was next for Koger was a church of her own- The Rock

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