Photo Details: L to R: Rev. John Greening, Daria Greening, Kim Saunders, Rev. Jim Saunders, Jon Saunders, Cindi Massaro, Rev. Mark Massaro

Installation Service for Pastor Jim Saunders

First Baptist Church Princeton celebrated the installation of a new senior pastor, Jim Saunders on Sunday September 13. Rev. Mark Massaro, associate pastor, lead the special service. Pastor Mark served as the interim pastor since last December when Rev. George Prinzing moved on to a new ministry in Lady Lake, Florida.

Pastor Jim Saunders begins his ministry as the 29th senior pastor of the church which began here in Princeton in 1894. Glenn & Marilyn Saunders, his parents, and many other family members traveled from Wisconsin and Iowa for the installation service. Reverend John Greening, the National Representative of Regular Baptist Churches, came in from Chicago to provide the keynote message: a charge to the church and a charge to the new pastor. Rev. Ray Anderson, pastor of Grace Memorial Baptist Church in Mt. Carmel, IL gave a welcome to the area as president of the Tri-State Fundamental Pastors Fellowship.
Kerry Overton, chairman of the deacons, provided an overview of the pastoral search process, and praised God for bringing a faithful new shepherd to First Baptist. Mr. Overton then lead in a prayer for Pastor Jim, as the deacons and pastors surrounded Pastor Jim and his wife Kim with the biblical tradition of laying hands on someone dedicated to ministry.

Jim and Kim Saunders are a happily married team of thirty one years, committed to loving and serving God together. Jim was born in Hammond, Indiana, into a pastor’s family where Christianity and ministry were core essentials. He studied the Bible at Faith Baptist Bible College and later earned his Master of Divinity in Pastoral Studies from Northwest Baptist Seminary in Tacoma, WA. Kim graduated from Faith with a degree in piano performance.