Pastor James W Kimmel

 

JamesKimmelJim Kimmel was born and raised just outside of Indiana, PA, and spent the first 26 years of his life at Trinity UMC of Indiana, PA, where he was involved in the Sunday school, a certified lay speaker, and a Disciple Bible Study leader. Married since 2002 to Melody, who is also a United Methodist pastor, Jim has taught Disciple as well as classes in Wesleyan heritage for several years in the local church and in the district school of lay servant ministries. He believes that the renewal of the Church in the Wesleyan tradition is to be found in recovering the beliefs and practices of the early Methodists: searching the Scriptures, understanding the basics and exploring the richness of the Christian faith (especially through Christian Believer study groups), following the General Rules, participating in small groups, and singing and meditating upon the rich hymnody of John and Charles Wesley. From these disciplines meant to enrich the heart and mind of the Christian disciple, God empowers those disciples to reach out in reflecting Jesus’ light of hope and love to the individuals and the community that surrounds them.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2a) has been Jim’s guiding verse for many years. The transformative love of Jesus Christ found Jim not long after graduating high school and has been continually calling him further along the journey of sanctification, making more room in his heart for God to be more at work in him and through him. By no means has he attained perfection (though the Holy Spirit continues to work in him), but he continues to follow — at some times better than at others — the upward call of Christ Jesus. Disciples together in community can and do encourage one another and pray for one another all along the journey, and Jim believes firmly in the Church as the safe space where all God's people can grow in grace to become more and more who God created them to be.

Jim’s Bachelor of Arts degree is in Political Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, with a double minor in Pre-Law and Intelligence Analysis and Evaluation. He graduated with a Master of Divinity from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and has done post-graduate work in Wesleyan Practices at Ashland Theological Seminary. Licensed as a local pastor in 2002, commissioned in 2004, and ordained in 2007, Jim has previously been appointed to the Templeton/Kellersburg/Widnoon Charge, Emerickville, West Middlesex, the Big Bend/Emlenton/Old Zion Charge, the Cranberry/Rockland/Van Charge, and since 2019 he has served the Jefferson Avenue/West Washington Charge in the City of Washington. He is an avid reader of historical and theological works as well as good mystery novels, and particularly enjoys works by N. T. Wright, Karl Barth, Stephen King, and Agatha Christie.

Sunday Schedule

  8:30 am - Sunday Morning Worship

  9:45 am - Sunday School

    Come as you are, all are invited!

Contact Information
Bentleyville United Methodist Church
712 Main Street,  P.O.Box 183
Bentleyville, PA 15314
Phone:  1-724-239-2513
James W. Kimmel, Pastor
Email:  Pastor@BentleyvilleUMC.org
Office Hours:  By Appointment