Service Times | 8:45
and 10:45 Sunday Mornings
2356 Harrodsburg Rd.
Lexington, KY. 40503
John Hatton
Senior Pastor
John is a native Kentuckian and truly loves Lexington and Southern Hills UMC. John is married to Julie and they celebrated 27 years of marriage in 2024. They have a son, Emory, who is attending the University of Kentucky. They also have a daughter, Elise, who is attending the Southern Hills Early Learning Center for preschool. John received a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Eastern Kentucky University. He continued his education at Asbury Theological Seminary receiving a Masters of Divinity degree as well as a Doctor of Ministry degree in homiletics and historical theology. John has way too many hobbies, some of which include woodworking, photography, astronomy, playing electric guitar, and amateur radio. The Hatton’s are dog people – they have a Golden Retriever named Arwen who they spoil. John also LOVES coffee. There isn’t a latte he hasn’t enjoyed!
Parker Outman
Associate Pastor
Parker primarily serves with our spiritual formation, Alpha, and college ministries as well as preaching on select Sundays. He and his wife Emily are from Cape Girardeau, Missouri but have come to view both Lexington and Southern Hills as home. In his spare time, he enjoys a range of hobbies such as cooking, baking, reading fantasy novels. His latest fixation has been learning how to barbecue with his new smoker. Parker is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Theology and Biblical Literature. He continued his education at Asbury Theological Seminary where he received his Masters of Divinity and Masters of Theology in Biblical Studies. Parker continues to participate in academia by presenting research at regional and national conferences for Bible Scholars. He and Emily have a cat named Zelda and have just welcomed their first child to their family.
Joan Wooden
Worship Pastor
Joan is an ordained Deacon in the United Methodist Church. She has been a member of our staff since the fall of 2010 and has enjoyed working with musicians of all ages at Southern Hills. She received her undergraduate degree in music from The University of Texas at Austin, and her Masters of Sacred Music degree from Southern Methodist University, Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas. She has served churches in Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Joan has been married to Ken for over thirty-six years, and they have two grown children and three grandchildren. In their free time, the family enjoys hiking and biking, especially in the Great Smoky Mountains!
Who
We Are
Southern Hills is a multigenerational community, full of the presence and power of God, where all are loved. We strive to be a warm fellowship of believers seeking to be Christ’s hands and feet in our community. We earnestly endeavor to answer the call to discipleship by growing in our own faith while reaching out to serve others in the name of Jesus Christ. The nurturing of children inside and outside our walls, aiding those in need, and sharing the gospel in our words and deeds are central to our mission of serving Christ’s kingdom.
Our History
On Sunday, June 14, 1959, a handful of people gathered in the old Picadome Elementary School on Harrodsburg Road in Lexington, Kentucky. This small gathering grew to form a vibrant community of faith, which would eventually require its own facility. Our congregation was under the guidance of a young Rev. Donald R. Herren, who inspired his congregation to build up both the physical plant and the spiritual well-being of its members. Southern Hills grew from 118 members to become a large congregation. During the 40 years that Dr. Herren and his wife, Pat, served, our present facility grew. An initial expansion saw the construction of Herren Hall, with the first floor of the Education Building, in 1961. This was followed with the additions of the present Sanctuary in 1966 and the Activities Building in 1977. The Herrens left Southern Hills in August of 1998 and Rev. Dennis Burrows along with Rev. Clyde David Burberry served as our pastors until the appointment, in April of 1999, of Rev. A. Wayne Bishop to lead Southern Hills. His leadership saw continued growth in our church community. During his time at Southern Hills, we embraced the task of beginning the renovation of the Main Sanctuary. Following Rev. Bishop’s years of faithful service, in 2006, Dr. Bill Moore came to Southern Hills as our Senior Pastor with a vision to spread the word of God throughout the world and locally within our Lexington community. During his time of leadership, Southern Hills continued to grow and adapt to new challenges and new expressions of faith. In 2008, The Source began as a worship service designed to serve young adults under the leadership of Rev. Jill Ruhl our associate pastor. The Source continued to grow until, in 2017, when it was launched as a new expression of Southern Hills UMC in a second location. In 2019, Rev. Jim Nichols was appointed as our senior pastor. Rev Ruhl retired in 2022 and Rev LeTecia Preacely was appointed as an associate pastor to lead The Source community at that time. In June of 2024 The Source was chartered as a new United Methodist congregation with Rev. Preacely as their pastor. Rev. Nichols led our congregation through the difficult years of the Covid pandemic with determination until he moved to Florida in November of 2023 to accept a new position. On November 15, Bishop in Residence, retired Reverend Al Gwinn was appointed to lead Southern Hills with a renewed sense of lay leadership involvement through June of 2024 when our Senior pastor Reverend Dr. John Hatton was welcomed to begin his new appointment with us. Dr Hatton and family began their ministry at Southern Hills July 1, 2024 and started a new chapter in the life of our church. From the rental of an old school to a small lot, partially submerged in water, to an expansive complex which facilitates our numerous ministries, the people have never lost their vision. With a sense of where we have been, the future of our church will continue to grow upon the foundation that our founding members entrusted to us. Over these years we have had many very capable spiritual leaders appointed to Southern Hills in different capacities of ministry. The following list is a compilation of all Conference appointed clergy since the charter members helped begin the ministry in 1959. We are grateful for their faithful service and their love for God and for each of our members and the Lexington community.