Church leadership
Our Co-Lead Pastors
Pastor Ed Simons
Ed Simons is an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene. In 1993, he graduated from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois. During his four years at O.N.U., he participated in the spiritual life program, and held youth retreats and revivals across the educational region as a Life Song Speaker. Since 1994, Ed has been actively involved in the preaching ministry as a youth pastor, associate pastor, interim pastor, bi-vocational pastor, campus pastor, and pulpit supply. On the South Central Ohio Nazarene District, he has preached as an evangelist at Camp Meeting in Logan, Ohio and pastored at several churches including, Sciotoville, Portsmouth First, Roseville, and Chillicothe First Church of the Nazarene. Additionally, he has conducted adult and youth revivals, weekend retreats, men’s ministry, and Father’s day events.
Pastor Jeremy Schinkle
Pastor Jeremy Schinkle was born and raised in our community of Chillicothe, Ohio. We are blessed to now call him our Co-Lead Pastor! In 2004, he completed a Bachelors of Arts in Christian Ministries from Ohio Christian University (formerly known as Circleville Bible College). In 2009, he completed a Masters of Divinity Degree from Asbury Theological Seminary (yes THAT Asbury!) In his first year of ministry, Pastor Jeremy served as Youth Pastor at Christ United Methodist Church in Ashland, Ohio from 2010 - 2011. Continuing his ministry experience, he also served as Youth/Associate Pastor for Westside Church of the Nazarene from 2012 - 2016 in Chillicothe, Ohio (now known as Heritage Nazarene - Chillicothe).
Pastor Jeremy has faithfully served as Associate Pastor here at Chillicothe First Church of the Nazarene since 2017. In March 2023, District Superintendent, Dr. Sam Barber installed both Pastor Jeremy Schinkle and Pastor Ed Simons as Co-Lead Pastors of our church. We are excited for the work these two will do together with our congregation to continue to build the Kingdom of Christ! Just like all of us, Pastor Jeremy firmly believes that his greatest days in ministry are still ahead.
Church Board
In addition to co-lead pastors, Chillicothe First Church of the Nazarene is led by a church leadership team, composed of the below officer positions. All of these officers are elected by the members of the church during the annual church meeting.
President of Nazarene Discipleship International (NDI)
President of Nazarene Missions International (NMI)
Stewards
Trustees
The church leadership team then appoints, for each year, the positions of:
Treasurer
Secretary
Having this collaboration of pastors and church leaders ensures accountability and a representative approach to leading the church. Together with our church members and leaders, our church’s task is to make known to all people the transforming grace of God through the forgiveness of sins and heart cleansing in Jesus Christ. Our mission first and foremost is to make Christlike disciples in the nations, to incorporate believers into the fellowship and membership and to equip for ministry all who respond in faith. Our ultimate goal as a community of faith is to present everyone fully mature in Christ at the last day.
Photo Credits: Dr. Sam Barber on Facebook
On March 26, 2023, South Central Ohio Nazarene District Superintendent, Dr. Sam Barber, was at Chillicothe First Church of the Nazarene to install Pastor Jeremy Schinkle and Pastor Ed Simons as Co-Lead Pastors! We are so blessed to have them both at our church and cannot wait to see the continung impact their ministry has on our church AND our community!
Serving as our Associate Pastor since 2017, Pastor Jeremy continues to faithfully serve our church while Pastor Ed Simons has been our Lead Pastor since 2019.
