Candidate in Comment Period

Joe Tolton is a candidate for recording. Scroll below for his bio. Here’s an online form which you may use to give us feedback on his candidacy. Please complete it before March 10, 2025.

This form allows you to submit information anonymously (you can add your name if you want to). Praises will be passed on to Joe when he is presented for recording at Annual Sessions. Concerns will be discussed by the committee and addressed with the candidate and/or his clearness committee as appropriate. Because this form is new, we also have space to provide feedback about the form/feedback process itself. 

If you know someone who does not have online access, feel free to print off the form for them. They can return it by mail to Leann Williams before March 10, 2025, at 6625 West Trestle St., Rathdrum, ID 83858.

For information on what “recording” means, click here.

Joe Tolton’s bio

Church was always important to me, but knowing how to get involved didn’t come together until high school. I became part of the team doing communion. I joined the church choir. I was part of the Service Team doing home improvement for the poor in Kentucky. I attended the Youth-to-Youth Retreat Team in high school. At the end of the retreat we were asked to discern if we would join the retreat team the following year. I felt called and I joined.

The team discerned my role as a someone to give a witness talk on service. Before then I had not known what it meant to wait on the spirit. Doing things this way was amazing. This was my first sermon and it was a very powerful experience. Before this I had not been called out to do vocal ministry. I was also called to be in the worship team and helped plan our services for the weekend.

A few years later in college, I found myself called into the leadership of the Union of Catholic Students and the Fellowship of Christian Students. I worked together with others to plan worship services and group activities. Being a leader took my ministry to a new level.

I was called by an anonymous professor at the college to be part of a pre-seminary group called the Lilly Scholars. I learned about theology and had deep conversations about God and ministry. 

After college, I planned to work for a nonprofit and do my service in the secular world. Way closed. God had other plans. I found myself living with my parents and finding my identity through the church where I worshiped. 

After years at a Reformed Church in America college, the Catholic church where I grew up no longer quite fit. I tried many churches until I found the Midland Church of the Brethren. There I found many connections with friends, parents of friends and even a paraprofessional who had been important in my elementary school years. Way opened for me to be in ministry there. It wasn't long before I was planning worship and preaching there. I found myself helping lead Bible studies. I knew that God was pulling me back in. I applied to go to seminary that year and began at Bethany in the fall.

At Bethany it took me time to find my place. I went to chapel at seminary every chance I got, but was not immediately sure where to attend on Sundays. I spent a lot of Sundays at the unprogrammed Clear Creek Friends Meeting. Way closed for me there when the pastoral care committee was unwilling to let a pastoral care student work on skills in their meeting. I didn't go to the Richmond Church of the Brethren right away. My second year I began attending the Richmond Church of the Brethren. I preached and led worship as a part of the regular Earlham School of Religion worship services and once for a conference hosted there.

I had several internships as a part of seminary. I served as Student Pastor at Cross Creek Community Church where I had the chance to preach and provide pastoral care. I served as Assistant Pastor at Good Shepherd Church of the Brethren. I had opportunities to preach, lead worship, and lead Bible study there. I served as Chaplain Intern at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. There I had an intense summer of pastoral care. I was there for families when people had died. I offered comfort to families whose babies were about to die. I visited with people in chronic pain and with chronic conditions.

While I was at seminary, the Midland Church of the Brethren discerned that my gifts for ministry were sufficient for me to become a licensed minister and discern whether I should be ordained.

Over my years at seminary I found myself getting involved with worship planning, worship leading, and even occasional preaching at the Richmond Church of the Brethren. After seminary, I put out my profile and searched and searched for a church. I interviewed at several places but didn't get any bites. Way seemed to be closing on my ministry as a pastor. I continued taking part of the ministry at the Richmond Church of the Brethren as a minister without a position, what they call a free minister. I was called into a position I didn't expect as the House Director of the Newman Residence shepherding seminary students. As time passed, I worked with my friend Leigh on the fight against the death penalty. We poured ourselves into this ministry and put out the word for every event we got scheduled. We were on fire for justice. We fell in love.

Before I could be involved in the leadership of West Elkton Friends Meeting, I had to be sure that I was not called to be pastor of the Richmond Church of the Brethren. When we got married I withdrew from the Richmond Church of the Brethren and became involved with West Elkton Friends Meeting. Over time I went from attending to being Co-Pastor. There I found my skills as an administrator, a worship leader, doing pastoral care, and preaching put to use. God had called me again and again. Now I had my first position to go with my call.

I became a part of West Elkton Friends Meeting. Way opened for me to go into pastoral ministry there. After a time, I was called to be Co-pastor with Leigh Eason Tolton. I led worship on a regular basis and preached occasionally. I engaged in pastoral care. I led book and Bible studies. I was ordained by the Church of the Brethren for my ministry at West Elkton Friends Meeting. The New Association of Friends recognized me as a minister in good standing. 

I was called into a ministry. Way opened for me to work across denominational divides and help people with stewardship work. I become the Office Manager for the Ecumenical Stewardship Center. I connected with people from local congregations to denominational staff members. I used my pastoral care skills to offer tech support. When my supervisor retired, way closed for ministry there and the organization was spun down. I offered myself for leadership, but way did not open for that.

I moved to Klamath Falls. It seemed that way was closing for me in pastoral ministry. I found a way to work for God there caring for kids in special education. That summer I found work at the hospital running the diagnostic imaging lobby. They needed someone who could support people in crisis and offer hospitality to people in stressful situations. Leigh came out of remission and she needed my help with Klamath Falls Friends Church. When I offered myself to Klamath Falls Friends Church as an Associate Pastor, they accepted me. Way was opening again for me to be a pastoral minister. I lead worship and preach on a regular basis. I engage in pastoral care.