Lost lamb leads to pastor's new calling at Kilgore church

A chance encounter on Route 9 with a lamb led Pastor Gary Beatty and his wife, Betty, to the Kilgore Methodist Church, where Beatty has come out of retirement to spread the word of God.

At age 84, Beatty felt the call to lead the church, which had been without a pastor for more than a year.

“The Lord spoke to my heart and my sole desire is to help the church and grow the numbers,”said Beatty.“I want to be a service to the church.”

Beatty retired in November 2024 after 53 years of ministry, the last 25 of which were spent serving on Boca Grande Island, Florida. Following the restoration of his church there after Hurricane Ian, he and his wife returned to their Ohio roots, having previously served in both Michigan and Ohio.

“When we got back to Ohio, I thought we would visit a few churches and see where the Lord would have us,”said Beatty. This led to discovering a lamb that had gotten out of a fence, which led to the lamb's owner talking to Beatty and bringing up Kilgore Methodist Church.

“I went up there to see the church, and as fate would have it, there was a man in the graveyard, and he happened to be a member of the church," said Beatty. They talked, and it eventually led to Beatty pastoring there for the past few weeks.

Beatty feels called to help struggling congregations, a ministry focus he has embraced throughout his career. He hopes to revitalize the Kilgore church, attract local attendees, and eventually recruit a permanent pastor. He is currently seeking a song leader to assist with worship services.

His wife, Betty, a skilled pianist and graduate of Heritage Baptist University, has also joined in the ministry. Beatty is a graduate of Midwestern Baptist College, Trinity College, and holds a Doctor of Divinity from Heritage Baptist University, where he also served on the Board of Trustees. Before entering ministry, he worked as an overhead crane operator at the Diebold Safe Company.

The Beattys, who were both saved 53 years ago in Delroy through a Billy Graham crusade, have a long history of service and a love for rural communities like Carroll County.

“I certainly love Carroll County,”said Beatty. “I love the hills, the ruralness of it, and the simplicity of the people—overall, just good people.”

Service time is 10 a.m. Sundays. The church, located in the center of Kilgore on Route 9, has stood since 1853 and is surrounded by a historic cemetery. Beatty said he preaches the Old Time Gospel of“Jesus Saves”and the service is traditional. The congregation sings hymns of faith and gives invitations.

Beatty invites those in the Perrysville, Kilgore, and Amsterdam areas seeking a traditional, hymn-singing service to visit and help strengthen the fellowship.