This story was first published by FāVS News on Oct. 12, 2025.
MOSCOW, ID – The Rev. Tricia Tedrow was installed as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Moscow at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the church, 405 S. Van Buren St. She is the first woman to lead the congregation in its 145-year history.
Tedrow has been preaching and serving the community since August.
“It’s a celebration that the search process is over and we’ve found each other,” Tedrow said.
Mary Read, a church member, said the congregation is thrilled with the match.
“She’s the person who’s going to walk alongside the congregation,” Read said. “She’s very approachable, friendly and down to earth.”
A path to ministry
Tedrow has served as pastor in churches from Northern Louisiana, Texas, Massachusetts and Arizona. She received a master’s of divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas, and went on to earn a doctorate in ministry from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has served as an interim pastor, pastor and the Congregational Ministry Curriculum Manager on a national level.
“I know this part of the county, and I love this part of the country,” Tedrow said.
The First Presbyterian Church in Moscow, Idaho, as pictured during the 1930s. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
She completed her undergraduate degree in history at Whitworth University in Spokane. Tedrow said she had wanted to be a lawyer but while at her home church in New Mexico, she felt called to ministry.
“It’s not something I considered growing up, it wasn’t until after college I felt called,” Tedrow said.
The First Presbyterian Church of Moscow has had 27 pastors since it was founded in September 1880. The previous pastor, the Rev. Norman Fowler, served from October 2005 to May 2024. There were two interim pastors between Fowler’s retirement and Tedrow’s start, which was a husband and wife duo.
Goals for the future
While Tedrow is the first woman to serve as pastor of the church, she said gender hasn’t been a focus for the congregation. Female pastors are common in the Presbyterian Church (USA), and Tedrow has been the first woman pastor at other congregations.
She said the congregation at First Presbyterian has been open and welcoming. Tedrow said she and the congregations have hopes to continue to strengthen their outreach to the community and revitalize the music program.
“We have hopes to continue to be a strong presence in the community,” Tedrow said.
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