MADISON TOWNSHIP — Rev. Dr. Rich Rader is taking the helm at Mayflower Congregational Church, located at 548 N. McElroy Rd. in Madison.
The Ontario native officially became the church’s pastor last month after filling in for his predecessor, Rev. Dr. Gary Wilson, on an as-needed basis starting in July 2016.
“My goal at Mayflower Church was to build a family church,” Wilson said. “Being at a church this long, the members became family for my wife and I.”
Wilson, who’s originally from West Virginia, was a church planter early in his ministry, establishing a church in Bolivar, Ohio, he said.
He learned of an opening at Mayflower Congregational Church while reading the United Church of Christ magazine.
“I called them and talked with Mr. Don Hipsher and he invited me to come and meet with the Search Committee,” he said. “I met with the committee and it went well so they asked me to preach a trial sermon, which I did. The congregation took a vote and I was asked to be their pastor.”
Wilson retired after 27 years of pastoral ministry at Mayflower Church on Jan. 1 of this year.
He continues to teach an adult Sunday school class and sings in the choir.
“I am part of the Mayflower family and I will remain a part of that family until I die,” he said.
Rader, a 1989 graduate of Ontario High School, earned a bachelor of arts in music theory and a minor in religion from Ashland University — where he met his wife of 20 years, Tiffany. He went on to obtain a masters in biblical studies, and later a masters of divinity in homiletics and a doctorate of ministry in leadership from Ashland Seminary.
From 1995 to 2000, he spent the majority of his time on the road playing original contemporary Christian music.
“My pastor at the time called me a ‘gypsy for Jesus’ because I basically lived out of my van and played where anybody would listen,” he said.
Afterwards he returned to Ontario and served as the worship and discipleship director at Ontario United Methodist Church for one year. He also founded the Warriors of Light program at Ontario High School, which included a Friday morning Bible study and regular events such as get-togethers following basketball and football games. The program involved about 60 to 70 students, he said.
Other ministry jobs he held were pastor of First United Church of Christ in Shelby, pastor of Living Waters Community Church in Ontario, pastor of Hope Church in Sulphur Springs, as well as Crossroads Community Church youth pastor.
He also formed the Richland County Chaplain Corps, which serves all nine police and 13 fire departments in the county.
His resume also includes 32 years in the tax industry and 19 years in higher education.
The 46-year-old has kept busy maintaining a third generation business, Eccles & Rader Tax Group in Mansfield, of which he is currently president. He said he’s been doing taxes since he was 14.
He has taught at North Central State College and continues to teach at Ashland University.
“I’ve never done just one thing,” he said.
He learned about the pastor position at Mayflower Congregational Church from friends and clients, but was reluctant at first to fill the role because over the years, he had made a shift from being a pastor who does taxes, to being a tax accountant who preaches, he said.
“In other words, I went from full-time ministry and seasonal tax stuff, to full-time business and filling pulpits and doing ministry when I could,” he said.
He started coming to Mayflower more regularly when Wilson retired and was struck by how encouraging and loving the church is.
“Over a period of six months of being here off and on I just said, ‘Ya know, there are great people here and there’s a wonderful opportunity to connect to the community,’ because we sit right in the middle of the Madison school campus,” he said.
That’s when he decided to take the plunge as part-time pastor.
“They want to revitalize and they desire to build relationships with young people,” he said. “I’m just excited to be in a position to lead them on how to do that.”
The church’s mission is pursuing the God of grace and presenting the grace of God while Growing their understanding of the Bible, Reaching the community with love, Adoring their one, true God, Changing their world for the better, and Experiencing their life in Christ to the fullest.
“I appreciate (the church’s) desire to grow, their desire to grow in their own personal faith and their desire to have impact in the surrounding community,” he said.
“They already support a number of different types of missions on an international level. I think I see for ourselves increased opportunities both locally and globally.”
