Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church

Jim has been our Pastor for 36 years.  He spent his youth in Maumee, Ohio, attending and graduating from Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana, with a term at the Shakespeare Institute at Stratford-Upon-Avon, England..  He earned his Master’s Degree in Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, a Certificate in Clinical Pastoral Education from Andover-Newton Theological School and was ordained at Maumee’s First Presbyterian Church on August 27, 1972.  Shortly thereafter he was installed as the Assistant Minister in The Presbyterian Church at New Providence (NJ).  His ministry there was fortuitous as Jim met and married Sue, who was a member of the choir.

Jim and Sue relocated from New Providence to Oak Ridge and Jim was installed as our Pastor on June 29, 1975, a very special day for the Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church.  We have been very fortunate to have Jim as our friend and spiritual leader for more than three decades.  Our choir has also been equally fortunate to have Sue, who is a very talented soprano. Sue is a graduate of Kean University, and is a retired Special Education Teacher, having taught for many years at Columbia Middle School in Berkeley Heights.

Jim and Sue have two sons, Tim and Brian.  Tim is a graduate of Sierra-Nevada College, which is near Lake Tahoe.  Brian is a graduate of William Paterson University.

Jim has served as the Moderator of the Presbytery of the Palisades, and has been a long term member of the Tri-County Clergy Association, which provides considerable assistance to the needy.  He was also instrumental in bringing the Crop Walk for the hungry to our area.

As Pastor of our Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church, Jim has sought to deepen our spiritual lives.  He is “always moved by the faith of the people I serve, it excites me to see them grow.” This is truly evident as we observe Jim as he baptizes children of parents who he also baptized, and as he confirms children of parents who he also confirmed.

Thanks, Jim, for being our teacher, spiritual leader and friend.