Licking United Methodist welcomes Pastor Mitch Henson

By Shari Harris, Publisher

Pastor Mitch Henson delivered his first sermon as pastor of the Licking United Methodist Church on Sunday, January 19. Pastor Henson most recently led churches in Richland and Dixon. He and his family live in Rolla, where his wife, Amber, is a professor of psychology at Missouri S&T, and their daughter is a freshman in high school.

Pastor Henson is originally from Atlanta, Ga., but moved with his parents to the St. Charles, Mo., area, where he finished school. After receiving undergraduate degrees in Biology and Communications at Missouri State University, he worked for Bass Pro for 12 years. From there he opened his own aquarium business.

When he heard the call to ministry, he shut down the aquarium business and devoted his full attention and time to following the path down which the Lord was directing him. For six months he searched for a position with a church. As he waited, he started seminary. Finally he found a position in worship ministry in Mississippi.

When his wife was hired at Missouri S&T, he began applying at churches around the area. After he decided to take a position with the United Methodist Church in Richland, he realized he would not only be leading worship ministry, but would be preaching sermons as well. After initial doubts, he decided to try, and two minutes into that first sermon in 2011, he knew it was where God wanted him to be.

Pastor Henson served at Richland as lay minister, then licensed pastor, and finally as elder. He graduated from seminary in 2014 and was ordained as elder in the United Methodist Church in 2016 by the conference of the State of MIssouri, which allows him to conduct sacraments anywhere in the world.

As a pastor for the United Methodist Church, Pastor Henson is itinerant, meaning he may be sent wherever the Bishop and cabinet decide he is most needed. He served at Richland from 2011 until coming to Licking, and added Dixon in 2018.

Regarding the move to Licking, Pastor Henson says, “I feel good about this.”

In addition to Licking, Pastor Henson will be conducting a service at Mt. Hermon in the Lenox/Salem area at 9 a.m. on Sundays. Licking’s service will be at 11 a.m., after a 10 a.m. Sunday School. Children’s ministry is available at Licking during the worship service time. The service is also livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube.

Pastor Henson does plan to include his passion for worship ministry in the service, and plans to open every worship service with a contemporary song. Traditional hymns will be sung during the remainder of the service.

“I’m going to meet you where you are,” he said. “All of us need change in our lives.”

“Sin is in all our lives. God’s grace encompasses all of that,” he continued. “By accepting that grace, I can do this thing called ministry that He has called me to do.”

Pastor Henson was an integral part of the Ministerial Alliance in Richland, serving as Treasurer for the organization. He supported the NA program in Richland that met three times per week at the church, and hopes to deepen the connection between the Licking United Methodist Church and the AA group that meets there weekly.

Pastor Henson remains ever aware of the grace, love and acceptance of Christ. A quote from “The Ragamuffin Gospel” by Brennan Manning is at the forefront of his mind. “The scandalous message of the Gospel is that God loves you just as you are, not as you should be, because none of us are as we should be.”

In addition to the Sunday service, Pastor Henson will generally be at the Licking church office Mondays through Wednesdays. He invites all to stop by and meet him and is eager to serve the community.