Rev. Jeff McIlrath has been serving with The Reformed Church of the 1000 Isles since June of 2013. Pastor Jeff is a second generation pastor born in upstate NY (Waterville) at the time of his father's first pastorate. However, most of Jeff's childhood  was spent in the midwest where Jeff graduated from high school in NW Illinois. He then attended Wheaton College (B.A. English Literature 1996) in the Chicago area before attending seminary in Dubuque, Iowa at UDTS (Master of Divinity 2002). Pastor Jeff served before seminary as a full-time youth pastor in Aurora, IL and after seminary was the lead pastor for 11 years at Emmanuel Reformed Church in Morrison, IL  Heather is a High School English teacher who considers it a calling and a privilege to shape young minds. 

       The McIlrath family has great affection for the St. Lawrence River and can be found on their pontoon boat as soon as the ice melts and until the snow flies. Heather and Jeff have been married for 27 years and they are the parents of 4 children. Karissa is a local Kindergarten teacher married to Ridge Hagar and they have a son. Ian is a local Jr.High English teacher who just got married to Delaney.. Alethea is in college pursuing a degree in childhood development and Elijah is a junior in high school who loves sports, theater and agriculture. 

     Pastor Jeff considers it a privilege to live in the north country and loves enjoying the river with family and friends. Jeff is an avid baseball fan of the Chicago Cubs and football fan of the Chicago Bears, but the north country winters have developed a fondness for hockey and the Ottawa Senators. Most of all, Pastor Jeff considers it pure joy to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.