Congregations and family members are grieving the loss of two United Methodist Church pastors, the Rev. Charles Layton, 65, and the Rev. Carol Mart, 77, in a car accident in Bertram, Iowa, on Sunday.
They were returning from a joint worship service they attended at the Veterans Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids earlier that day.
Layton served the Asbury and Kenwood Park United Methodist churches, while Mart led the Buffalo United Methodist Church. The two had carpooled to the worship service and later went out for lunch before the fatal accident.
Scott Meador, pastor at Lovely Lane United Methodist Church and leader of the Cedar Rapids United Methodist circuit, described both individuals as having “big hearts” and a deep love for their congregations.
Chuck Johnson, a member of the leadership team at Asbury, spoke about Layton’s impactful ministry saying, “He was a minister with a love of music and singing. He was part of the choir as much as possible.”
Mart was remembered for her engaging and personal teaching style, and often shared lessons pulled from her family experiences.
In his social media post, Jonathan Heifner of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids wrote, “In moments like these, we remember the grief that comes with loss, and it is also a chance to remember the gift of being in a connectional church: none of us has to grieve alone.”