Palm Harbor United Methodist Church invites community to meet new pastor

Palm Harbor United Methodist Church, 1551 Belcher Road, welcomes the Rev. David W. Baldridge, above, as senior pastor at its 8:15 and 9:45 a.m. services Sunday, which is National Back to Church Sunday.

The community is invited to meet and greet the pastor and his family, including his wife, Sarah.

He is a graduate of Asbury College in Wilmore, Ky. He also received his master of divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary and has been a Methodist pastor in Florida since 1986, serving churches in Tampa, Plant City, Merritt Island and Englewood.

He serves on the board of trustees of the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home. He also has an extensive puppet ministry he shares with children every Sunday during the worship service.

His wife, Sarah, has a passion for teaching and is a notable guest speaker at churches in the conference. She also enjoys leading Bible studies. The couple’s son, Andy, is a senior at East Lake High.