Statistics tell us that a local church pastor has an approximate two-year term at a parish before moving to another.

Certainly, 25 years of service is a rare milestone both for the pastor and the church. On March 11, Pastor John E. Godby and the First Baptist Church of McConnell celebrated that extraordinary event.

Before coming to the First Baptist Church of McConnell, Godby had been the assistant pastor at the Striker Bible Church on the Crawley Creek Road at Chapmanville. Striker Bible was his home church and they licensed him to preach the gospel. His second pastorate was at the Mountaineer Missionary Baptist Church on the Big Harts Road from 1980-1982.

Godby's ministry has been highlighted by working with youth. The McConnell church has one of the largest continuous youth groups in the Logan area. Young people have the opportunity to work directly in the church upon membership in such ministries as Sunday School, AWANA, Vacation Bible School, mime, drama, puppetry, church league basketball and working in the food pantry. The church has adopted the slogan “Dedicated to Saving the Youth of Logan County.”

Godby has several spiritual objectives which are constantly being addressed by the membership of the church. They include support of foreign and home missionaries, maintaining a van ministry and evangelism of the Logan area.

Godby and his lovely wife of 32 years, Debbie, have three children, Jona (Aaron Kelly), Joni and Jonathan. The family is also very active in the ministry of their church.

The First Baptist Church of McConnell has services on Sunday with Sunday School at 10:30 a.m. and evening worship at 7 p.m.; the AWANA Club is at 6 p.m. on Mondays (children) and Wednesday midweek and youth meeting at 7 p.m. The First Baptist Church of McConnell is an Independent Missionary Baptist Church located on McConnell Road and Fawn Avenue in McConnell.