Jeffersonville United Methodist Church welcomes new pastor

0

Rev. Emory H. Clark will start his new appointment at the Jeffersonville United Methodist Church Sunday, June 28. We wish Pastor Tom Knauff and his wife Cindy a wonderful retirement. They will be missed, but we are also excited to welcome Pastor Emory and his wife Ruth into our family. Please join us for services Sundays at 9:30 a.m. and starting July 5, 6 p.m. services will be added.

Pastor Emory was born in Dalton, Ga. His parents were Salvation Army Officers assigned to the Salvation Army Corps in Dalton. He grew up attending the Salvation Army Corps, participating in as many of the Corps activities as possible and attending summer camps. It was during his senior year at Dalton High School that he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. It was following graduation (1987), while on a youth mission trip to Kissimmee, Fla., he accepted the call to vocational ministry.

In the fall of 1988, Pastor Emory left his home town to attend Circleville Bible College in Circleville, Ohio. During his freshman year he accepted the position of Youth Director at Tyler Memorial UMC in Chillicothe, Ohio. While serving at Tyler Memorial, he met and married his wife Ruth, and they will celebrate their 31st anniversary on Dec. 16, 2020.

“Second only to the day I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior” says Pastor Emory, “the day that Ruth became my wife and partner in ministry is the greatest day in my life.”

Together they have two children: Katie, who is 28 years old, and a 2013 graduate of Ohio Christian University; and Charles (Charley), who is 26 years old and a 2018 graduate of Wilmington College. Katie has been married since October 6, 2018.

After leaving Tyler Memorial, Pastor Emory served as the Assistant to the Pastor/Youth Pastor at Belle Avenue Church of Christ in Christian Union in Delaware, Ohio. During his senior year of college he pastored the Beaver Immanuel United Methodist Church in Beaver, Ohio.

Pastor Emory graduated from Circleville Bible College, now Ohio Christian University, in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry. Following his graduation he returned to Dalton, GA and accepted the position of Director of Youth and Children’s Ministries at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church. It was during this time that he began pursuing ordination in the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. He served the following churches in the North Georgia Annual Conference: Spring Place/Fuller’s Chapel Charge, Bethel, and Farmville (Calhoun, GA).

In 2004, Pastor Emory transferred to the Kentucky Annual Conference to pursue his seminary education at Asbury Theological Seminary. During seminary he served the Shiloh/West Bend Charge in Stanton, Ky. He completed his Master of Divinity at Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, Ky.) in May 2012.

In June 2007, Pastor Emory was called as the Pastor of the South Solon Church of Christ in Christian Union, now Grace Community Church in South Solon, Ohio. He was ordained with the Churches of Christ in Christian Union on Aug. 5, 2007. In August 2011, he accepted the call to be the Pastor of the Bainbridge Church of Christ in Christian Union and served in that capacity through April 2013.

In 2008, Pastor Emory started the Women’s Softball program at Ohio Christian University in Circleville, Ohio and led the softball program until 2012.

In 2013, Pastor Emory was appointed as the Pastor of Greenfield First United Methodist Church where he served until September of 2015. In September of 2015, Pastor Emory was appointed to serve New Hope United Methodist Church in Logan, Ohio in the Foothills District. In 2018 Pastor Emory was appointed to serve Rockland United Methodist Church in Belpre, Ohio. Pastor Emory is passionate about missions “across the street and around the world,” and he has a deep passion for ministry to the motorcycling community. Pastor Emory has been on four Vietnam Mission Motorbike Tours with the Shawnee Valley and Foothills Districts. Pastor Emory has also been to the North Katanga Annual Conference and has spoken with Bishop Ntambo and the United Methodist Men there about helping with motorbike projects in North Katanga. Pastor Emory enjoys fixing up motorcycles. He has started a ministry to purchase, repair or rebuild used motorcycles to sell to raise money to purchase motorbikes, and other forms of transportation, for pastors on mission fields around the world.

Pastor Emory enjoys riding his motorcycle, playing golf, coaching softball, deer hunting, reading, and playing and writing music (especially worship music).

Ruth has been employed at Wilmington College, in Wilmington, Ohio, since 2007 and plans to continue her employment there. Ruth enjoys singing, working with media and sound, and working in younger children’s ministry. She also enjoys cooking and hosting get-togethers, deer hunting, doing crafts, and riding the motorcycle.

Rev. Emory H. Clark, the new pastor at Jeffersonville United Methodist Church, with his wife, Ruth.
https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2020/06/web1_Pastor-Emory-wife.jpgRev. Emory H. Clark, the new pastor at Jeffersonville United Methodist Church, with his wife, Ruth. Courtesy photo

Submitted article

No posts to display