Pastor's Page
Meet the Pastor and Staff
Rob Ernest
Pastor
My Mission Statement: C-A-P
C - Create a community of faith and trust
with our neighbors.
A - Attend to the physical needs of our
neighbors.
P - Proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to
the neighbors.
Personal
Born: To Julia and Lewis Ernest, in Little Rock, AR. Dad was called to preach at the age of 44, when I was 7. He became an Associate Member of the Arkansas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church where he served for 20 years until his death in 1984. Mom was a pastor’s wife and homemaker. She died in 2009.Wife: Donna Lynn Kelley Ernest (MBA from Kaplan University, Summa Cum Laude from Arkansas College, Batesville, AR, 1981). We were married Feb. 12, 1999; one son (my stepson) Aaron Hutsell, born Nov. 1985; daughter-in-law, Amy; they have a son and daughter, Braylon James, born in 2014, and Callaway Kelley, born in 2020. They live near Liberty, MO. Donna runs her own virtual business, Strategy for Ministry. She also plays the piano, but her priority now is “DeeDee” to Braylon and Callaway. 2 (older) Sisters:Rebecca (Becky) Gross, and Deborah (Debbie) Webb, both live in Searcy, AR with their families.
Secular Work History:
Before my call to the ministry, and briefly thereafter, I had a long career in radio broadcasting beginning full-time in 1977. I have worked at radio stations in Arkansas, Texas (15 years at KETR-FM) and Missouri, doing every job imaginable—we even owned and managed our own station for a time. I ended my broadcasting career as Program Manager and Morning Show host for WRD Entertainment, a six-station cluster in Batesville, AR in 2013.
Appointment History:
Sidney, AR Lay Speaker 07/01/09--06/30/10
Guion/Sidney, AR Senior Pastor 07/01/10--11/14/10
Hazel Edwards Memorial(Newark)/Oil Trough, AR Senior Pastor 11/15/10--06/30/13
Huntsville/Presley Chapel, AR Senior Pastor 07/01/13--06/30/16
Richmond/Princeton, KS Senior Pastor 07/01/16--06/30/17
Lecompton, KS Senior Pastor 07/01/17--06/30/21
Paradise, MO Senior Pastor(R) 07/01/21--
Education:
Searcy, AR, High School Graduate 1975Arkansas State University BS, R/TV Communications 1978
Local Pastor License School Completed 2010
United Methodist Study School Polity/Doctrine 2014
Course of Study School (Perkins/St. Paul) Graduate 2015
Commissioned as Associate Member of the Great Plains Annual Conference in July 2018
Hobbies:
Golf, fishing, guitar, light carpentry, reading, and “Pop” to grandkids.
Scott Hink
Pastoral Ministry Associate
My full name is Scott Markham Hink. I married Laurie Hink 36 years ago. We met in school at Whitworth College, now Whitworth University, in Spokane Washington in 1987. She was dating someone else at the time. We started dating in 1988. She graduated with a degree in teaching and music. I graduated in 1989 with a major in sociology.
We have 3 grown children. Anna Joy Hink 28, Kaylin Hink 26 and Marcus Hink 24. Anna lives in Springfield MO with her daughter Scarlet, age 2, our granddaughter, Tanner (her significant other) and Thatcher, his son. Kaylin 26, has moved back home, and is a fulltime student working towards a degree in radiology. Marcus lives 10 minutes from us and works for Spectrum. Very proud of my children and what they are accomplishing in life.
I currently work for myself as a Hydraulic liftgate repair mechanic. My specialty includes liftgates. I also work on rollup doors, body structural repair and fabrication, roof repair and replacement as well as floor replacement and a few other things for box trucks. My wife retired from teaching in 2024 and currently works part time at our doctor’s office as a scheduler. She has Monday and Tuesdays off so she can sometimes help me with jobs. She has been a huge supporter of mine and am so grateful to have been married to her for 36 years. Great mom, wife and friend.
For several years I’ve been a part of a men’s group at North Star United Methodist Church. The format included reading books and scripture then preparing questions to encourage discussions. Laurie and I also enjoy music. Piano and smooth jazz seems to be what we gravitate towards. It seems to remove the temper of stress that accumulates from daily work.
Doug Franklin, the late Pastor at NorthStar United Methodist was instrumental in helping me take the step to pursue my passion. Doug actually asked me twice and discussed it in detail with me. God works in mysterious ways. There were actually three pastors that gave me nudges saying it would be a good fit. Doug Franklin, Alan Pruitt and Larry Linvile. This has been on my mind for years but never had the courage to pursue it. In hindsight, maybe I should have studied Religion and Philosophy.
Laurie and I read a lot of different books. Our early morning coffee is often spent discussing what we’ve read and learned. God is good. I’m so thankful for the opportunity that has arisen at Paradise United Methodist Church. Rob and the church congregation are so welcoming and gracious. What a great place to learn the ropes of working in a church that truly loves the Lord Jesus Christ.
