Meet the Pastor - Rev. Jim Miller

James Elwood Miller was born May 11, 1933.  He graduated from Marion High School in 1951and went on to graduate from the University of Indianapolis in 1955.  He attended the United Theological Seminary from where he graduated in 1958 and was subsequently ordained in June of that year.  Rev. Miller ministered at Clay City Evangelical United Brethren Church from 1958 to 1962, Lockerbie Square United Methodist Church from 1962 to 1969, and Broadway Christian Parish in South Bend for 9 months.  From there, Rev. Miller was the Director of Juvenile Delinquency Prevention at the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute from 1970 to 1973.  For the next year, he was the Director of the Crisis Prevention Division at the State Department of Education.  Finally, he was the Executive Director of the Indiana Juvenile Justice Task Force from 1974 until his retirement in June 1998.

Rev. Miller married Ethel Hobson in 1953.  He and Ethel had 4 sons and 1 daughter.  Rev. Miller has been married to Linda (Phillips) since 1974, with whom he shares 1 daughter.  Linda was an elementary school teacher, juvenile probation officer, and a school social worker.  Today she is a part time investment advisor for teachers with Tressler Financial Group.

FORMER PASTORS

Long-time Pastor, Reverend Wayne Patton, Retires as a “Kentucky Colonel”

Retiring minister Wayne A. Patton of Salem United Methodist Church of Zionsville has been named a “Kentucky Colonel.” Salemmember Gene Bear (also a Kentucky Colonel) presented the certificate to Reverend Patton following church services on June 8^th. This is the highest honor bestowed by the Commonwealth ofKentucky and was awarded to Reverend Patton for hislife-long devotion to God and his service to thousands of Christians and non-Christians. Reverend Patton was pastor atSalem until his retirement on June 30, 2008.

Reverend Patton was born inBerea,Kentuckyand attendedHenryClayHigh School. He is a graduate ofAsburyCollegeand Asbury Seminary just outsideLexington,Kentucky.Waynesays he was converted to the Christian faith and accepted Jesus as his Savior at the age of ten; he has served in the Christian ministry since 1950. He served for seven years with the Institute for American Church Growth headquartered inPasadena,California. He was a consultant and seminarleader for the Institute and established an office inCarmel,Indianain 1978. During his time with the Institute, he conducted seminars in twelve states and seven denominations.

Rev. Patton was also a conference evangelist for theUnitedMethodistChurchfor ten years. In 1991, he received the Harry Denman award for outstanding evangelism in the Southern Indiana Conference. The award was for his work with friends, relatives, associates and neighbors, encouraging them to blend theirlives together socially, politically, psychologically and religiously.

He and his wife Norma were in mission work for two years inManchester,Kentucky,located in theAppalachian Mountains. They worked to establish a congregation, and they oversaw the construction of the firstMethodistChurchto be built in that area in a hundred years. His pastoralexperience embraces 31 years in 11 different United Methodist churches. Wayne and Norma have been wonderfulexamples ofliving for others in Christianlove.

On June 29^th the Salem United Methodist Church of Zionsville held a special celebration program to honorWayne’s many years of service and to wish him much happiness in retirement. His favorite musical selections were sung and several awards were presented to him. Following the celebration his friends, family and the congregation gathered in the Salem Fellowship Hall for Sunday dinner.