Our Pastors
Senior Pastor Dayton Mix
Pastor Dayton is an ordained elder, having started as a licensed local pastor in May 1996.
He had felt a call to ministry as a 17 year old, but spent the next 17 years trying to argue God out of it. During that time, he had worked in health care, a bank, as a houseparent for a childrens’ group home, as a free lance reporter/photographer, a part time DJ for Christian radio station WCTL, a youth director, and worked as a teacher in Clymer, NY for a couple years before starting on the path of pastoral ministry. He has a B.A. History from Edinboro University of PA (1992) and an M.DIV. from United Theological Seminary (1999).
Dayton and his wife, Gay, were married in 1991 and have 2 adult daughters, 1 adult son, and a daughter still at home. He loves history, camping, photography, genealogy, and traveling with his family.
He has been serving as Senior Pastor of the Allegheny River Charge since 2023.
Pastor Terri Wells
Pastor Terri grew up in Penfield, PA in a family that didn’t attend church. She says she has not walked a perfect path in this life, and “I praise Jesus for hanging on to me and not letting me go, even when I was trying to make my own way without him.”
Terri earned a bachelor’s degree in Administration of Justice, with a minor in Psychology, from Penn State University and has worked in retail store management, as Asst. Deputy Warden of Treatment for Clearfield County Jail, Correctional Counselor for Indiana County Jail, Drug and Alcohol Treatment Specialist, a caseworker for both Jefferson County and Indiana County Children and Youth, a forensic Interviewer of children of sexual abuse and recently retired from Indiana County Children and Youth as Foster Care Coodinator.
Terri started attending Penfield United Methodist Church at age 10 and was a confirmed member at 14. In 2006, she transferred membership to the Smicksburg United Methodist Church where she married her husband Ron Wells. They have a blended family of 3 sons, 1 daughter, and 6 grandchildren.
With her life experiences and achievements, she values the next chapter of her life as “the greatest opportunity that I could ever have, to dedicate my life to sharing the love of Jesus Christ. I am so excited to explore the word of the Lord with my new brothers and sisters in Christ. To allow God to work through me and use me to bring souls home to him.”
Terri served as Lay Minister of the Allegheny River Charge since July 2021 and Pastor since May 2022.
