Pastor Jim Szakacs comes to Hope Ridge UMC from The Nehemiah Mission of Cleveland where he has served as Executive Director & Pastor since 2008. He has  also served as the Associate Pastor of New Vision at Garfield Heights United Methodist Church since 2016.

Prior to ministry Jim had a successful career in entertainment marketing where he spent 12 years as the Area Manager and local Vice President for Ticketron and 16 years in multiple positions at Playhouse Square Foundation in Cleveland. In his last role at Playhouse Square  he was the Director of Communication and Marketing.

He is a graduate of Capital University, Columbus, Ohio with a BA in Speech, Communication and Theatre Arts and is currently completing the Course of Study at Methodist Theological School of Ohio.  An active member of The United Methodist Church since his childhood, he has served on a range of local church, district and conference committees while leading worship and small group ministries.
 

Jim and his wife Robin met at Annual Conference at the age of 13, began dating four years later and were married by Robin’s father, a United Methodist pastor ( now deceased) at age 20. Together they have three adult children and six grandchildren all under the age of six.
 

Robin, a graduate of Baldwin Wallace University and Metro School of Nursing is a Registered Nurse at The Cleveland Clinic in the Pain Management Department and is a certified water aerobics instructor.
 

Jim’s journey to ministry began at the age of 6. As he tells it, he grew up planning to be a pastor but then found his secular career blossoming until he could no longer avoid God’s call. It was then that he was chosen to lead The Nehemiah Mission.
 

Jim and Robin are relocating to Concord from their home of 31 years in North Royalton, Ohio. They are anxious to become a part of the community of Hope Ridge and the surrounding area.
 

Jim’s ministry of outreach has been guided by the phrase: “Ministry happens in the interruptions.”  So he and Robin invite you to make yourselves known to them and be ready to love and laugh together.

​

​