Ohio Southern Baptist Pastor Turns 95

Please join us in honoring a life dedicated to sharing the Word of God and in recognizing before God, our appreciation of Pastor James McCamish and his dedication to the pastorate. Pastor McCamish has served as a pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention for over seven decades.

James McCamish was born on a farm in Whitesville, Kentucky on September 9, 1915.  James’ parents, Grace and Birk McCamish, made sure that James and his eight siblings regularly attended Sunday School at the Baptist Church. 

When James was 19 he was called of God to the ministry and James committed the rest of his life to spreading the message of hope and salvation found only in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Also at the age of 19, James’ brother introduced him to a young woman named Thelma Jett.  Both James and Thelma were impacted by Matthew 28:19: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” and they committed their lives to leading souls to Christ. They married on July 7, 1934 and became partners for life in their dedication to serving the Lord.

Over the years, Thelma fully embraced her role as a pastor’s wife.  She was very active in the church: as a Sunday School teacher she made certain that the children received a good, biblical education, she served as the church pianist and organist, and was active in the Women’s Missionary Union as well. Thelma also worked outside the home.

West Point Church had ordained James as its pastor when he was fresh out of high school. He went on to serve Gatewood Church, Dawson Memorial Church, Narrows Church, Zion Church in Ohio County, Kentucky, and Curdsville Church in Davis County, Kentucky.

While serving as pastor of Beaver Church, he attended Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky. Then James went on to serve Panther Creek in Old County, Kentucky, Sorgho Church, Zion Church in Henderson County, Kentucky, and Mount Carmel Church in Ohio County, Kentucky.

In 1950, James and Thelma proudly expanded their family through the adoption of an 18-month old boy, named Randall Jeff McCamish. James also entered the Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky at this time. Dr. Ray Roberts, a Southern Baptist missionary in Ohio, was recruiting men for a mission field in Cleveland, Ohio, and visited James at the seminary.

James served at the First Southern Baptist Church in Cleveland. However, it did not adhere to Southern Baptist guidelines, so, with the help of Dr. Roberts, James and Thelma, along with other members, chartered the Harmony Baptist Church of Cleveland. They helped establish three other missions that became North Eaton Baptist Church, Bay Village Baptist Church, and Parma Baptist Church. Seven years went by and the couple was called to Hilliard Baptist Church near Columbus.

As time passed, their son grew up and found his life mate, Jean Ann Ray, through the church. It was a match made in heaven because Jean Ann had been raised in the North Eaton Baptist Church established by James and Thelma.

In 1969, James and Thelma accepted a call to Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Kentucky. They then returned to Ohio to the First Baptist Church in Hicksville. Their next move was to Geneva Baptist Church in 1975. Then in 1984, James and Thelma accepted the call to the Glouster Baptist Mission in Glouster, Ohio. While pastoring the Glouster Mission, James was asked if he would come to the Southern Baptist Church in Ashtabula due to some problems. The Glouster Mission granted permission for them to go. After three months they were seeing positive results so they returned to Glouster. James ended his career as a full time minister in March, 1993 from the Glouster Mission.

But, you can’t keep a good man down: James filled the need for an interim pastor at First Baptist Church Athens, Ohio from February through September 1997 and again June 2001 through July 2002. He also served the Lord at The Plains Baptist Mission from 2004 through 2008.

In 1975 James and Thelma were blessed with a new generation by the birth of their grandson, James (Jamie) Alvin McCamish. In 1988 Randall and Jean Ann adopted Jean Ann’s great niece, Heather Lynne, at birth, adding another grandchild to the family. Tragedy struck on June 30, 1991 when young Jamie lost his life in a car accident. Jamie was followed by his dear grandmother, Thelma, who went to be with the Lord on Thanksgiving Day, 1991.

Today, James shares his home with his daughter-in-law, Jean Ann, in Athens, Ohio. They are frequently visited by Heather’s two toddlers, Alyasia and Kleon, who bring to their grandmother’s and great-grandfather’s lives the joy that only small children can bring. 

The children aren’t the only thing that keeps James busy these days, however. James rises at 4:00 a.m. five days a week to work at the Athens City Recreation Center. James is accustomed to working. During the course of his career, he held both fulltime and part-time jobs to supplement the finances of his churches.

Pastor James McCamish has never met a stranger. He always shares a smile and word of encouragement and will go out of his way to help anyone. Years ago, James invited a new missionary, Cliff Coleman, now a retired Associational Missionary and member of First Southern Baptist Church of Pomeroy, to preach at a revival for Hilliard Baptist Church. Brother Cliff has nothing but praise for James and Thelma. He remembers, “Thelma was a marvelous co-worker with James. They are the two kindest, gentlest people I have ever known. I never heard them say anything negative about anyone. James was my mentor in ministry and in many other aspects of my life. There were many others who James mentored as well.”

To define James, he is courageous, diligent, meek, obedient, persevering, prayerful, spirit-filled, sympathetic, and worthy of teaching the Word of God. He has enjoyed a long and healthy life, diligently working to serve his community, spreading the peace and joy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He has done this in a gentle, compassionate, and giving manner. James has lived by these words: “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:24

We are celebrating James’ 95th birthday on September 9, 2010. To help us honor this dedicated pioneer, we are asking you to send him a birthday card. If you have any personal stories about him or Thelma, please include them with your card, as he will very much enjoy reading these. You may send birthday wishes to 25 Eden Place, Athens, Ohio 45701.

Also, please join us in recognizing how God has blessed us by this man’s dedicated life of service and faithfulness to the Lord by attending North Eaton Baptist Church on Sunday, September 12, 2010, where James will be honored. He will be preaching the sermon and will also be presented a plaque for his 70 years of service in the ministry by a representative of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio. The service will start at 10:45 a.m. Please contact North Eaton Baptist Church with any questions you may have at 440-748-2552. If you would like to attend the service, North Eaton Baptist Church is located at 12109 Reed Road, Grafton, Ohio 44044.