Biography: Jim Gysel is the Senior Pastor of Chapel Hill United Methodist Church. He has been with Chapel Hill since July 1993. Prior to that, he has had a variety of professional ministry experiences including serving as an associate pastor at a large church, as a solo pastor in a small town, as a student pastor during seminary training and as a youth pastor at a church in Jackson, Michigan. He became a disciple of Jesus when he was baptized at the age of 15 at Maple United Methodist Church in Battle Creek.

Jim graduated from Battle Creek Central High School in 1964. He has an Associate in Arts degree from Kellogg Community College (1973), a BA from Michigan State University (1976), a Master of Divinity degree from the Methodist Theological School in Ohio (1979) and a Doctor of Ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary (1994). His hobbies include playing his trombone in a swing band and several other local community bands from time to time, riding his mountain bike and playing golf.