Killbuck United Methodist welcomes familiar face as new pastor
For new pastor Ken Smailes, of the Killbuck UMC, that adjustment shouldn’t be rough. Smailes, who grew up and attended Sunday school just a few miles down the road in Blissfield, has always been familiar with the village of Killbuck and many of its residents and businesses. Smailes is also the news director for radio station WKLM in Millersburg as well as WTNS in Coshocton, so adjusting to the area won’t be an issue.
“My early years were spent in Blissfield, and then when my grandparents died, we moved to a farm just north of Blissfield and about seven miles south of Killbuck in Coshocton County. I have life-long connections to Killbuck growing up. I have fond memories of the Killbuck Early American Days, the Duncan Theater, Killbuck Equipment and many of the businesses. My dad worked at Sperry Rice for 47 years before retiring last year, and my mom is a native of Holmes County. I became reconnected and close once again with Killbuck nearly seven years ago when I became news director at WKLM.”
Smailes is excited about the changes in his life and said that looking back, he can see how all the pieces were coming together to bring him to the place he is today.
“In hindsight, I realize that God has had his hand on my life for a long time,” he shared. “Seemingly disconnected events in my life all of a sudden were related, kind of like a connect-the-dots puzzle. All that I have accomplished has been by his design to prepare me for ministry -- from my life experiences growing up in Holmes and Coshocton counties through school to my career as a journalist. And I believe it’s his will -- in his timing -- that has brought me to the Killbuck United Methodist Church.”
So, you may be wondering, how does a journalist discover his call to the ministry?
Well, for Smailes, that discovery was a process.
“I have been invited into many schools to speak over the years, for students in first grade through high school, and about seven or eight years ago I was speaking to some sixth-graders at a career day when God’s call hit me with such clarity that I knew life was about to change for me,” Smailes explained. “At that time a girl asked me why I enjoyed what I did ...and I certainly did and still do enjoy being a journalist. But I had never really thought about that before. As I reflected on her question, I identified that sharing news and information with folks is a role that empowers people, whether something as simple as a weather forecast for the day or as complex as some issue facing voters at the polls. I enjoy being a journalist because of that impact I can have. You can have all the money, success and right things going for you, but real power comes from knowledge. And it was like God was saying, “well done, my good and faithful servant. You are keeping people informed, now what about my Word? What about the knowledge of Jesus Christ that is all-empowering?”
After that revelation, Smailes said that a whole series of circumstances beyond his doing followed within the coming months that set him on the course to where he is now.
“I was given the opportunity to become the news director at WKLM in Millersburg in addition to WTNS radio in Coshocton,” he said. “Then the Mount Vernon District of the United Methodist Church was reorganized into the Three Rivers District, centered in Coshocton and taking in Holmes County. After that I was asked to be the keynote speaker for the baccalaureate at River View High School, my alma mater. At that time, speaking before such a crowd of parents and youth about servant leadership had a profound effect on me, and I realized for certain that God not only was doing things in my life, but that I was His instrument for empowering the lives of others.”
Smailes became a certified lay speaker in 2006, and has been serving as a supply pastor with the United Methodist Church for the past four years at Blissfield UMC. He received his license as a local pastor just as the need arose at Killbuck UMC when Pastor Roberta Fuller announced in December that she would be leaving. Now that he is licensed, Smailes plans to continue studies through the Course of Study School of Ohio at the Methodist Theological School near Delaware.
“There is no doubt in my mind that my appointment to Killbuck in addition to Blissfield as of Jan. 1 was of God’s design,” Smailes added.
Having grown up in the area, Smailes has a unique appreciation and connection with the people and the history of Holmes and Coshocton counties. He is grateful and excited for the new ministry opportunity at Killbuck and believes God can use his life experiences to serve the people of the church and village.
“Just as Jesus learned the carpenter’s trade before beginning his ministry on earth, I believe God has used my occupation as a journalist to see and experience diverse circumstances and a variety of people that others do not,” he said. “God calls all of us to be in ministry and to share the news of his son, Jesus, who died for us so that we might experience his grace beyond this world. That includes journalists, doctors, factory workers, housewives, students, public servants, business owners, everyone. We’ve all been given gifts that uniquely qualify us for this task in different ways. I want to empower people to realize their gifts and the impact we can have as we honor him. My vision for the Killbuck United Methodist Church is that people can experience God’s love in a nurturing environment, grow in their faith journey, and empower others in his name.”
Smailes graduated from River View High School in Warsaw and then majored in journalism and sociology at the Ohio University in Athens. He began his journalism career as a sports writer and editor, and was the youngest individual at that time to receive the Associated Press’ General Excellence Award in Ohio for sports writing. He transferred from sports to news upon returning to Coshocton in 1990, and received numerous recognitions for his work at the Coshocton Tribune where he served as managing editor for two years. 2012 will mark his 16th year at WTNS and his seventh year at WKLM. Smailes enjoys local history, is a certified severe weather spotter through the National Weather Service and licensed amateur radio operator. He frequently participates in panel discussions on crisis communication and emergency planning, and has been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters, OSU Extension and Head Start.
Published: January 25, 2012
