Meet Our Pastor

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Randy Wade – Lead Pastor

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Age: 53

Hometown:  Haviland, Kansas

 

Education:

High School: Haviland High 1986

College: Sterling College, BA with honors 1990.  Double Major in Behavioral Science and Religion

Master of Theological Studies, Duke Divinity, 1992

Master of Divinity with honors, Perkins School of Theology, 1998

 

Church Experience:

1992-1995. Director of Care Ministries, Grove UMC, Grove, Oklahoma.  Developed and oversaw the new care ministry program in the growing retirement destination of Grove.

1995-1998. Student Local Pastor, Shooks Chapel Charge, Sulphur Springs, Texas.  Served as student pastor for Shooks Chapel and Pine Forest UMCs in Hopkins County, Texas while attending Perkins School of Theology.

1998-2005. Senior Pastor, Muldrow UMC, Muldrow, Oklahoma.  Relocated and re-launched church as Trinity UMC of Muldrow and Roland.  Congregational attendance grew from mid 40’s in the month prior to our arrival to an average of around 120.

2005–2014. Associate Pastor, McFarlin UMC, Norman, Oklahoma.  Main responsibility was to preach and oversee “Lifeline”, the contemporary worship service, and to participate on the Leadership Team of McFarlin UMC.  Additional duties included oversight of Care Ministries, Congregational Life, Church and Society, Missions, and a weekly Bible Study. 

2014-Present.  Senior Pastor, Piedmont UMC, Piedmont, Oklahoma.  Guided the church through a successful Debt Reduction Campaign while overseeing major improvements to the church facilities.

 

Conference and District Responsibilities: 

Board of Ordained Ministry.  Served 8 years, the last 4 as Recruitment Chair. 

District Board of Location and Building.  Served 10+ years, the last 7 as Chair. 

Annual Conference Council.  Currently serving in fifth year.

 

Personal:

I married Debbie in 1990.  Deb is Director of Elementary Language Arts for the Oklahoma State Department of Education.  Prior to that, she was a classroom teacher for many years primarily teaching upper elementary.  She is a National Board Certified Teacher.  She is the former multi-year director of the Oklahoma Writing Project and has served as a coach and continuing education presenter for numerous schools around the state of Oklahoma. Marrying her was the best decision I’ve ever made.

 

Debbie and I have three daughters.  Bekah is a 2016 graduate of OCU where she was a varsity rower and marketing major.  She is currently employed by Convergint Technologies and lives in OKC.  Anna is a 2019 graduate of OCU where she majored in elementary education.  She is currently teaching 2nd grade in the Putnam City district and is engaged to be married this July.  Lydia is a Junior at OCU where she is majoring in marketing.   I couldn’t be more blessed or more proud.  All three of my girls are beautiful inside and out and they are the world to me.

 

And finally, a little about me.  I grew up participating in all kinds of sports and played college football at the small Christian liberal arts college where Deb and I met. I still follow sports but am now largely confined to just being a fan.  I enjoy bird hunting and fishing and being outdoors.  In the church, my particular passions are for preaching, teaching, worship, missions, pastoral care and just being with people.  Basically, I love it all!  I also love bringing people together to problem solve and build new things – buildings, programs, systems – I enjoy the entire process from dreaming through execution.  I like to tackle big things.  But mostly I have a passion for Jesus and a desire to further His kingdom however he leads.