The Niles Times
After 45 years of pastoral ministry, Dr. Bill Porter, pastor of the Niles First Church of the Nazarene, will retire.
Porter has spent more than seven years at the Niles church. Porter and his wife, Judy, have their roots in Columbiana County.
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Special to The Niles Times
The Rev. Dr. Bill and Judy Porter will be retiring from the Niles First Church of the Nazarene after more than 40 years in ministry and more than seven at the Niles church.
Porter and his twin brother, Bob, left for Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Massachusetts in the fall of 1957, and graduated in 1962 with a bachelor of arts degree. Further education followed at Nazarene Theological Seminary in Kansas City where he was granted the Master of Divinity, and in 1992 earned the Doctor of Ministry degree, magna cum laude. Dr. Porter attended the Indiana University School of Philanthropy and has served as a registered evangelist.
Following the counsel from a trusted denominational leader, Porter began his pastoral charge in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. After church assignments in Iowa, New York, and Pennsylvania his family headed west to St. Louis and then to their first of two churches in California, serving in Sacramento and Oakland.
Porter remembers as highlights of more than 40 years of ministry: the many individuals, being chosen from peers to be a Nazarene Evangelistic Ambassador for 11 weeks in Central and South America, having a one hour radio program on family radio in Sacramento and contributing musically in worship.
The highlight of his career has been to lead the Niles Church through the building program which resulted in the addition to the church on Vienna Road.
"The journey has been made joyful by the presence of Jesus and the effective and able partnership in ministry and marriage of my wife, Judy," Porter said. "God has been faithful every day and His blessings and presence are anticipated with great joy for the future."
The Niles First Church of the Nazarene will celebrate the ministry and retirement of the Porters with worship at 10:40 a.m. Sunday followed by a pot luck dinner in the Kenneth E. Boring Fellowship Hall. All are invited to attend. For information, call, 330-652-0446.