For three decades, Gearry and Tammy Judkins have been fixtures at Boothbay Harbor United Methodist Church. Gearry is the church handyman and serves as a trustee. Tammy has taught Sunday school and served as the church’s certified lay leader. In June, Tammy added another title to her church resume by becoming a certified lay minister. She spent four years studying Methodist Christian principles and is assigned to the Boothbay parish which consists of East Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor and Southport.

As a certified lay minister, her main responsibility is filling in for Pastor Rich Rego when needed. Rego leads the three Boothbay region churches with assistance from Rev. George Kerr in East Boothbay, Dan Giles in Southport who is a certified lay servant and church lay leader, and Tammy Judkins in Boothbay Harbor. Another of Judkins’ duties is coordinating the church’s nurture, outreach and witness team responsible for planning missions. Last year, the team collected around 100 pairs of socks which went to homeless shelters.

Her new role as a certified lay minister is still being defined within the Boothbay parish. She believes she will have more duties in the future.

Prior to becoming a certified lay minister, she served 12 years as a certified lay leader where she frequently led Sunday service when Rego was at a different church. “As a child, I was known as a shy girl and never would’ve thought I would lead a sermon. But I love the church and I’ve been part of it so many years it’s like family to me,” she said. “As a certified lay minister, this is just another way to serve the church and community.”

With the holiday season approaching, Tammy Judkins and a group of UMC members are preparing Operation Christmas Child. This is the fourth year the Boothbay Harbor church has participated. “It’s a project sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse which is led by the Rev. Franklin Graham. It’s an international relief project which provides small toys and other items to kids between the ages of 2 to 14 in 170 countries,” she said. 

She has gathered items since the summer for Operation Christmas Child. This year’s church effort is different from past ones due to COVID-19. “We usually get together in a big packing party, but we can’t do that this year due to the  virus,” she said.

Community events like Operation Christmas Child and fellowship with the congregation keep Tammy Judkins involved in the local church. For the past 11 years, the Judkinses have lived in Newcastle, but they have remained stalwarts within the Boothbay Harbor church. “This is my home church and I enjoy the fellowship we share together. This is a caring community and it makes for a full week being around people who brighten your lives on a daily basis,” she said. 

But Boothbay Harbor United Methodist Church didn’t start out as the family’s house of worship. In 1990, the couple’s two sons, Gearry Jr. and Christopher were teenagers involved with the Boy Scouts which met at the local church. 

“A Scout requirement is being reverent which means attending church. So the whole family started attending. And over the years, I probably held almost every job in the church from teaching Sunday school to now a certified lay minister,” she said. 

Judkins, 58, is retired. She worked for Lincoln Academy for 25 years and as a housekeeper for Boothbay Harbor inns.