Two or three months ago, the members of Tryon United Methodist Church had no idea who their new minister would be.

At the same time, the Rev. Lynnette Sills was busy ministering to families and children at Central United Methodist Church in Asheville, attending to the needs of her own two teenage children and leading an active life in the Asheville community. 

In true United Methodist fashion, that all changed at 10 a.m. on June 24, when ministerial assignments for 2018-19 were “fixed” at the closing worship service of the 2018 Annual Conference at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. A mere two weeks later, Sills found herself responding to congregational needs as the new pastor at Tryon United Methodist Church. 

On July 15, she preached her first sermon.

Prior to her call to the ministry, Sills had earned a bachelor’s degree in radio, TV and film from Western Carolina University, and become an award-winning journalist, receiving several North Carolina Associated Press awards for her writing and reporting. 

Sills also believed in the importance of service, and found numerous ways to become involved in the Asheville Community, which has been home since 1986.  She participated in both the Leadership Asheville and Leadership North Carolina programs, and has served as a volunteer and on the boards of several organizations, including the Arden Rotary Club, Leadership Asheville Alumni Association, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity and the Asheville-Buncombe United Way. 

While her ties in Asheville are still strong, Tryon is quickly becoming home for Sills, too.  She says it is important to her to get to know folks in the community and to be part of what’s happening in the day-to-day life of the town and in Polk County.

People who would like to contact the pastor or learn more about the church may call the office at 859-9218 or visit tryonumc.org.

– Submitted by Nancy Hile