Our pastor, Rev. Jim Winkler, started his ministry with the Painesville United Methodist Church on July 1, 2021. Jim grew up in Lakewood and graduated from Hudson High School, Ohio University (BA), Western Illinois University (MA), and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston (MDiv).
After teaching for two years as a Freshman English instructor at several branch campuses of KSU, Jim taught for three years at a school for economically disadvantaged adults in downtown Akron before answering the call to ministry from the Hudson UMC. While in seminary in Boston, Jim served the Wakefield/Lynnfield UMC as a youth pastor (2 years) and then the Old South UMC as assistant pastor (2 years) before returning to East Ohio where he served the Deerfield/Pricetown Charge (5 years), Brecksville as Associate Pastor with Rev. Tom Taylor (7 years), Ontario (11 years), Wadsworth (5 years), as superintendent of the Ohio Valley District (7 years), and most recently Mayfield Church (3 years).
Jim and Lynelle were married May 20, 2017 at Lakeside UMC in Lakeside, OH, with nearly 40 pastors present along with family and friends to make sure they got off to a great, blessed start! Katie and Adam Boyce (Elinor – 8, Vivienne – 6), Joslyn and Matthew Villalpando (Josephine – 4, Sylvie – 1), Nate and Erin Winkler (William – 3) all live and work in Chicago and bring great joy and blessing to the family. Just this summer, Joslyn and her family moved to Door County, WI as Joslyn and Matt took ownership of Woodwalk Gallery in Egg Harbor. The three Winkler children are all graduates of the University of Cincinnati.
Lynelle is a licensed mental health therapist with her own LLC. Work, many hobbies and friends, and life with Jim keep Lynelle very busy and very happy. As for Jim, he enjoys spending time with Lynelle, grandchildren, family and friends, cycling, classic guitar, photography, reading, home projects, and travel. In 2012 Jim took part in the Wesley Pilgrimage to England as a small group leader; in 2014 Jim was a tour host for the Educational Opportunities tour of Israel with Bishop Hopkins; in 2016, Jim served with a mission team at the Camphor Three Cs mission project in Liberia; and in 2019, Jim led with Rev. Don Cummings and tour guide Dr. Bur Schilling of the Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies (JCBS) a tour to Israel.
Of the Painesville United Methodist Church Jim said, “Praise God for the growing sense of mission and connection with the Painesville community. Painesville UMC is a church ‘On the Square, Steeped in Prayer,’ with open hearts, open minds, open doors where ALL are welcome!”