BELGRADE LAKES — Old South Community Church has called the Rev. Stephen Tolander to serve as pastor for the 2017 season.

Tolander has served as Protestant Chaplain and Chief, Chaplain Service at the VA Medical Center, Togus from 1987 to 2006.

He is a native of Massachusetts, received a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity College, Deerfield, Illinois, in 1966 and a Master of Divinity from McCormick Seminary, Chicago in 1970. He was ordained in 1969 and served American Baptist churches in New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. He also had a career as a chaplain in the Army Reserve and did his doctoral studies through Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., completing them in 1986.

He has been married to his wife Barbara for 37 years. They have a daughter and two grandchildren in Florida.

His first Sunday will be May 7.