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MIFFLINTOWN -- In its sixty-one year history, First Baptist Church of Juniata County in Mifflintown has had only five senior pastors. In September, the sixth will be welcomed by the congregation.
On June 30, Pastor Ron Shupe completed his ministry at the church after thirty-one years. He began his ministry as pastor in September 1992. He and wife Rita feel that Juniata County has been a great place to live and raise a family.
"This was a great place to raise our three daughters," Shupe said. "They graduated from Juniata High School and all three of them went on to college."
The Shupes believe that the rural, small town area has been a wonderful place to live and function in ministry. It allowed them to get to know many people over three decades and make many new friends.
"The people at the church and the local community have been so warm, loving and friendly over all of these years," Shupe said. "God has blessed the pastoral ministry at the church. We have seen many over the years come to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and they have faithfully followed Christ in their lives."
Shupe, originally from western Pennsylvania, and Rita, a Vero Beach, Florida native, have both enjoyed all that central Pennsylvania has offered their family. First Baptist has also seen tremendous growth during their time in Mifflintown.
"It is such an eternal blessing to be a part of seeing people's lives changed by Christ," Shupe said. "The Church has seen many changes and growth over the years. In 2003 the Family Ministry Center building was completed behind the current church building on Route 35. It has been used in a multitude of ways to help the ministry reach children, teens and adults over the years."
"Over these three decades, we have seen many additions such as the addition of new ministries, including AWANA children's ministry and American Heritage Girls," Shupe said. "The Juniata County Fair Outreach Table, the outreach movie nights at the church and the annual patriotic service honoring all of the U.S. Military Veterans every November are just a few of the other ministries started up in recent decades."
In the time Pastor Shupe has served in Mifflintown, he and the church were able to mentor and help develop four different assistant pastors. Two of the assistants are now currently serving as pastors, one in New York and the other in New Jersey. A third is a full-time U.S. Army chaplain.
Pastor Ron and Rita plan to live in central Pennsylvania for at least a year in the next chapter of their lives. They will be in full-time retirement and plan to do a great deal of traveling, visiting their daughters and eight grandchildren in Virginia, Tennessee and the Commonwealth. The Shupes are not sure if the Lord will be leading them out of state at some point, but wherever they are, they are sure the Lord has a plan and purpose for them in the future.
"We will be praying for First Baptist as the church goes into this transition time and new chapter in its history," Shupe said. "As far as our future and our retirement time, both my wonderful Lord and my dear wife have let me know that it is time for me to have a sabbatical year and to rest and travel, do sports and Civil War hobbies, learn to cook, take some college courses online and do some fun things that we never had time to do before."
The new Pastor, Rev. Sean McGill from Hollidaysburg, will begin his tenure at First Baptist Church on Sunday September 3, 2023. McGill and wife Dionne have five children. Jenae and Jadon are the oldest and now on their own. Mykala graduates from Penn State this year, Trinity will be a senior in high school and Cole will be entering 10th grade.
McGill graduated from Lancaster Bible College with a Bachelor of Science in Bible. He is two classes shy of his Master's Degree. He has served the Lord for 28 consecutive years in churches in New Jersey, Maine, New York and now back in Pennsylvania.
"The Lord has been so good and so faithful," McGill said. "Now, ironically, I feel that I'm in my prime for preaching and ministry. I'm so thankful for the experience and all the things the Lord has taught me."
During July and August, Dr. Howard Houtz, retired Pastor from Calvary Bible Church in Lewistown, will serve as the interim Pastor for First Baptist. Houtz will preach at 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship services until Pastor McGill begins his duties on Sept. 3.