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Pastor: 
Pastor Earl J. Haggard
Autobiography:
I was born in Abilene, Kansas and raised in Texas, until my sixth grade year when we moved back to Abilene. We lived
a hard life, and always knew what hard work was all about. I attended Abilene High School, and graduated from there in 1972, and worked different places. I had known all my life
that I was to be a pastor, but I ran from God, because I did not want to be a pastor. I had seen too many times how hard it was to be a pastor, and all of the struggles that my pastor had gone through, and I
did not want that for my life. Eventually God won out, and I packed up everything I owned , and went to Huntington, Indiana, to attend Huntington College, which is the
college of the United Brethren Church. It was there that I met the love of my life, Paula Miles. We met in January and were married in December, and that was
twenty five glorious years ago. Two years after our blessed union, we were blessed with another joy. The birth of our daughter Hannah. She is such a delight, and of
course, has her daddy wrapped around her little finger! She is now 22.
My first pastorate was at a small church in Colby, Kansas, Pleasant Valley United
Brethren Church. We served there for two years, and it was truly a learning experience and a blessing to serve there. Then off to Indiana to complete the
requirements for ordination in the church of the United Brethren in Christ. My next pastorate was at another small country church in Southern Ohio. We served the
Salem Chapel United Brethren Church for five years, and it was also a wonderful time for us as a family. The next move brought us closer to home, in fact back to my
home church. It was an honoring, humbling, experience, to serve as pastor of the same people who had raised me in the church. So we moved back to Abilene,
Kansas and served there for eight years. During this time, I had a desire to go back to school, and complete my Bachelors Degree. I had not finished, because I had
gotten married, and decided to start a family. I attended Central College, in McPherson, Kansas, and received my degree in 1994.
After much leading from the Lord it was time to make a move in our lives and we
entered the United Methodist Church, after all it wasn't that much difference in theology. We made the move and found a real blessing from God. The opportunities
that God has opened up are awesome. I am now serving the Otterbein United Methodist Church and Bunker Hill United Methodist Church, God is blessing us. We
are on the cutting edge of ministry here in Russell and look forward to the great things that God is going to do through this congregation. It is my desire that God will
bless you and your efforts to reach your world for Christ.
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