Greetings in the Name of Christ!
I am delighted and excited to have been appointed to serve with the Ionia First and Easton churches as pastor for the next few years. It is an honor and privilege to be in ministry with you.
First, a brief introduction: I am Lamarr V Gibson, an ordained elder of the Wisconsin Conference. I began my ministry career in the Detroit Conference as a local pastor in 1993 and was ordained elder in 1997. Over a span of 30 years, I served four churches in Detroit, one church in Lansing, and three churches in Wisconsin. I have also served as hospital chaplain in Detroit and Madison and have a passion for pastoral care.
I am married to Linda Lee and we have three children (2 sons and a daughter), twelve grandchildren, and six great grandchildren. Linda is also clergy and served the Detroit Conference as pastor, district superintendent and later was elected bishop and assigned to the Michigan Area for four years, after which she was assigned to Wisconsin and I followed her there.
I am a native of Chicago, Illinois, living there for 43 years. I moved to Detroit when Linda and I were married. Before moving to Grand Rapids where we presently reside, Linda and I lived 13 years in Michigan and 17 years in Wisconsin.
Linda and I met in Nashville at a BMCR caucus convention and a year later were married. We have been married for 33 years and are looking forward to more delightful years together.
I was born into the Baptist faith but became a United Methodist in 1977 while tutoring
children in a summer program at a United Methodist church. Because I liked the music and the what the pastor said when he preached, I joined the church. I liked the ministries and activities of this church and soon became an officer of the church. Being a member of this congregation brought me to a greater awareness of God in my life and I began feeling called to ministry in the church.
I began my ministry journey seeking to become a diaconal minister, but soon realized I was called to ordained ministry. I pursued that path and gained the necessary educational credentials to be eligible for full membership in the Detroit Conference. But my educational pursuit did not end with graduation.
As I became more familiar with the demands of ministry and the needs of the persons I provided ministry for, I realized my knowledge for assisting people in need was inadequate. As a result, my educational pursuits continued as I served numerous churches and I earned several graduate degrees, including 2 doctorates.
I consider my theological views to be quite eclectic, ranging from conservative to very liberal views. I believe in viewing the scriptures critically and trying to understand the message the stories and writings contain. Thus, I do not take a literal view of the scriptures and am not bound by specific doctrines.
I am hopeful we can share our beliefs and experiences in a manner that is rewarding and fruitful for all. I look forward to visiting, worshipping, having fellowship, and creating ministry with you. Because God is with us, I know we will do good things.
Blessings,
Lamarr
Easton United Methodist Church 