Meet the Senior Pastor - Perry Montgomery

Hello Salem Church!!

I’m Perry Montgomery your new Pastor. I am so excited to meet each of you and to be part of a church with a rich history. I realize it will be a while before we are able to meet in person so I wanted to tell you a little about myself and family. I am married to Jill and have two step children Julianna and Nicholas. Jill and I are long time residence in the area. I grew up in Carmel and worked in the commercial insurance industry for many years before realizing my call to ministry.

I started in Fishers at a new church starting as a volunteer youth director. In 2008 while playing golf I received a call informing me of my first appointment to a church. I served Pleasant Grove in Carmel until my move to Zionsville in 2013. I will be serving Zionsville as an Associate Pastor and will be the Sr. Pastor at Salem. I am looking forward to being able to share resources with you by offering

Bible studies and other programing. I can be reached through the church office at Zionsville UMC 317-873-2623 or via email at pmontgomery@zumc.org

I am looking forward to this exciting adventure and seeing Gods hand in the midst of it.

Grace and Peace to you all.

Perry

Meet the Pastor - Pastor Emeritus Gina Kirkland

Gina (Regina Ann) Kirkland was born October 6, 1956 in St. Albans, NY. Being the oldest of four Air Force brats, they moved around the country quite frequently. She graduated from Anderson High School in 1975 and then graduated from Ball State University in 1980 with an Associate of Arts degree. She worked in critical care as a nurse at Ball Memorial Hospital until 1990. Later after rearing 2 birth children and 39 foster children, 2 adopted children, accepting 2 step children, Pastor Gina attended Sojourner-Douglass and graduated with honors (summa cum laude) with a Bachelor of Science in Human Services with a concentration in Addictions Counseling in 2005. A week later she began her long road of study for a Masters of Divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington D.C. after which she and Reginald adopted an older child and welcomed into their home from birth their 7 year-old granddaughter Khamiya.

Pastor Gina accepted the call to pastoral ministry in 1995 and was ordained in 1999 at Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Atlanta, GA. She was first appointed to Bethel AME Church in Acworth, GA. She later married Dr. Reginald Kirkland and converted to the United Methodist Church North GA Conference where she served at St. Luke UMC in Mableton GA. Due to family health issues they relocated to Baltimore, Maryland and served as Associate Pastor at Sharp Street UMC and then Piney Grove UMC in Middle River, MD. In 2005 she was appointed to Ayres Chapel UMC in White Hall, MD where she served 4 years. A major family health emergency called the Kirklands to Anderson Indiana where she became an Associate at Cross Roads UMC and then appointed to former Colonial UMC. After former Colonial discontinued she was appointed as Campus Pastor at New Horizons UMC and 2 years later appointed as Lead Pastor of New Horizons. As life would have it health issues (Alzheimer’s disease) has affected the Kirkland family and Pastor Gina had to step back from full-time ministry to care for her soul mate and major ministry supporter. In 2018, Reggie and PG's mother passed away.

Pastor Gina is very passionate about Jesus and making disciples for the transformation of the world. She is enthusiastic, energetic and some even say she is a ball of fire for the Lord. She personally says she is very excited to share this portion of her ministry journey with Salem UMC and very much looks forward to the time shared together to be empowering, fruitful and uplifting for God’s Kingdom here on earth.