The District Superintendent of the Southern Prairie District of the United Methodist Church, Minnesota Annual Conference, has announced that it is the intention of Bishop Bruce R. Ough to appoint the Rev. Tom Biatek as pastor of the Arlington Hills United Methodist Church in Maplewood, according to a press release.

Biatek will lead his last worship service in Albert Lea on June 14, which is the church’s rock ‘n’ roll service. A farewell reception and hotdog and rootbeer float lunch will follow the service, and donations will be accepted. Visitors are welcome to attend and join the congregation in wishing him farewell and good luck in his new appointment.

Biatek has been at the United Methodist Church since July 2010. He will begin his tenure as senior pastor at Arlington Hills UMC with worship services on June 28.

While at the United Methodist Church in Albert Lea, Biatek has been active both locally and with the Methodist Conference. Locally he was a member of the Freeborn County Ministerial Association, serving as president for two of his five years here.

He has also been a volunteer chaplain at the local hospital and served on the advisory board of Fountain Centers. He was a member of the local committee working to prevent sexual trafficking.

Within the United Methodist Church, Biatek has led mission trips to do relief work following Hurricane Isaac and Katrina with youth and another with adults. He led a youth mission trip to Cincinnati and helped with many local church outreach and mission projects in Albert Lea and in the Twin Cities.

Most recently he led an adult tour through the Holy Lands in Israel. He will lead another adult tour of England this fall, focusing on the locations and ministry associated with John Wesley, founder of the Methodist denomination.

Biatek’s work for the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church has also been busy. He served as a member of the United Methodist Committee on Ordained Ministry, serving as a mentor for young people considering going into ministry. He served on the Conference Human Resources Team supervising the staff of the Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He also served on the Judicial Council for the United Methodist Church.

His wife Jill Biatek has been the church Christian education coordinator for several of their years in Albert Lea. She is currently employed at the Children’s Center in Albert Lea. The Biateks are parents of two adult children, a daughter and a son and his wife, all of whom live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.