Highland Heights Baptist Church has a new pastor.

John Koch will be commissioned as pastor and deliver his first sermon Jan. 20 at the church, 675 National.

Koch, along with his wife Kay, comes to Memphis from Meridian, Miss., where he was ordained in 1998 at 15th Avenue Baptist Church. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi State University and a Master of Divinity from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary.

Koch was pastor of First Baptist Church in Bailey, Miss., for four years. He also led churches in Alexandria and West Point, Va. Koch will be the 8th pastor of Highland Heights Church, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in September.