The Rev. Dr. Jason Harvey

Pastor Jason has a deep love for worship and music and hopes to get to know, care for, and work with the congregations he serves.  His hope is to be a calm presence in a challenging world. Faithful living for Jason includes meaningful worship, fun fellowship, deepened knowledge through study, discerning God’s desire for life and action, and working for justice for all of creation. Yet he even understands the simplest of things to be events where God is present in our lives, sharing a good cup of coffee or excellent meal with friends, walking around the block on a nice afternoon with his Golden Retriever named Rosie, shuffling through a neat museum, searching for a great deal or antique find, being out in the garden, or watching live news coverage of “big” events.

Jason is a life long United Methodist. He grew up in Germanton (north of Winston-Salem). His B.S. degree was awarded in 1998 by Appalachian State University in History, Secondary Education. During his time at Appalachian, he was both participant and leader in the Wesley Foundation campus ministry. His Master of Divinity degree was awarded by Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond, Virginia (now known as Union Presbyterian Seminary) in 2001. Dr. Harvey completed his Doctor of Ministry degree track “Preaching in the 21st Century” from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC in May 2013. His project title was “Literature and Culture in Conversation for the Proclamation of the Holy Gospel” which focused on the use of literature as a springboard for preaching the Gospel’s message.

While educational development is of critical importance to his understanding of a faithful life, he also attempts to share with others the grace and love that has been shared with him by God, the church, his family, friends, co-workers, and strangers. Some biblical scholars suggest that the distillation of the Gospel’s message has been captured in I John, chapter four, that “God is love”, and we are encouraged to share the love we have received with others.

He was commissioned Elder in 2001 and first appointed as associate pastor of First UMC in Morganton. In 2004, he was appointed to Broad Street UMC in Statesville as the associate pastor. In 2005, he was ordained Elder in the Western North Carolina Conference. While in Statesville, from 2007 until May 2011, he was a part-time instructor at Mitchell Community College, teaching three introductory courses: “Old Testament” and “New Testament” and “World Religions”. His previous appointment before arriving at First UMC: Salisbury was as pastor in Greensboro, at College Place UMC - the first Light House Congregation in the WNC Annual Conference. In the past, he has served on the Worship Committee for the Annual Conference, the District Committee on Ministry in the Northern Piedmont District, and continues to service on the Commission of Archives and History for the Annual Conference. 

I hope to greet you at First UMC or in Salisbury soon! 

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