FARMINGTON – John R. Tolman, accompanied by his wife, Jane, will begin serving as interim pastor at the Farmington Falls Union Baptist Church on Sunday, July 20. He began his ministry at this church 46 years ago as a student pastor.

A special 9 a.m. service will take place on Sunday, July 20, to mark Homecoming Sunday. David Hovey, a former youth fellowship member of the church, will be in charge of music.

Tolman graduated from New Sharon High School in 1946 and received a B.S. degree from the University of Maine in Orono. He later entered Bangor Seminary where he received a bachelor of divinity degree. In 1966, he received a master of divinity degree.

He earned a master’s degree in education and taught in Phillips and Oxford. He later taught at Morning Star Academy and was administrator of Sonrise Christian Academy.

Some of the churches Tolman has served at are Farmington Falls, Franklin Larger Parish (Weld, Carthage, Phillips and Shorey Chapel); interim at Henderson Memorial Baptist Church, Oxford Congregational Church, Otisfield Baptist Church, New Sharon and Shorey Chapel. He retired after 31 years.

The couple has four children, John Jr., Frank, Villa and Georgia.