DIXFIELD – The Rev. Kenneth Hinkley hadn’t always planned to lead a church, but now he’s pastor of the Dixfield Common Baptist Church.

After working in the wood products industry for about 20 years in his hometown area of New Vineyard, and being involved in a church Sunday School and Youth Group, he had decided he wanted to become a better Christian educator.

In 1989, he began a four-year study at New England Bible College in South Portland where he graduated in 1993 with a bachelor of science degree in Biblical studies. He had planned to teach in a Christian school. But during his senior year he was invited to speak from the pulpit at tiny Stow Baptist Church along the New Hampshire border. He found that he liked it.

And they liked him. He served as part-time pastor for 10 years. Both he and his wife, Linda, also worked at the Hannaford store in nearby Conway, N.H.

When he answered the call for the Dixfield church, both were able to transfer to part-time jobs at the Rumford Hannaford.

“I enjoy the study and teaching part, and working one-on-one or with families,” he said.

He also likes the chance to write and deliver sermons. His first service at the Dixfield church focused on “revival,” a theme he will follow for the next few Sundays.

“Revival,” he said, “is a change in the life of a believer to be more in tune with God’s will.”

He and his wife are still unpacking at the nearby parsonage, and he is still putting his many books on the shelves of the church office. When he feels situated, he plans to hold an open house and reception at the parsonage for the church’s congregation.

In the meantime, he is trying to get the lay of the land, to get to know the congregation of the Dixfield Common Baptist Church.

As with other churches, he will try to increase the number of younger people in the church. He hopes to start a children’s ministry through after-school and weekend Bible clubs.

Hinkley graduated from Farmington High School in 1968. He and his wife are the parents of Roy, 23, who is serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq, and daughters Elizabeth, 22, who lives at home, and Ryan, 20, who attends college in Oklahoma.

Sunday School begins at 9 a.m. and worship service at 10. Bible study in held at 7 p.m. each Wednesday.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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