Partners for Healing gala August 2, 2008 dedicated to founder Rev. Bill Starnes

Reverend Bill Starnes, retired pastor of First United Methodist Church in Tullahoma, was instrumental in the founding of Partners for Healing, Inc., a free medical clinic for the working uninsured of Coffee, Franklin , and Moore Counties . Rev. Starnes has had a distinguished career in ministry, missions and administration with his wife Rosemary at his side.

 

Partners for Healing, Inc. dedicated its gala, Come Dance with the Stars: Step Two, to Rev. Starnes. Partners for Healing, Inc. honored Rev. Starnes for his continuing involvement and service to the mission of the organization. The event took take place August 2, 2008 at the Manchester-Coffee County Conference Center.

Rev. Starnes' reputation preceded his arrival in Tullahoma . He was president of Martin Methodist College from June 1974 through June 1985. He and Rosemary both received their undergraduate degrees from the college. Rev. & Mrs. Starnes were inducted into the Martin Methodist College Hall of Distinction in ceremonies in Pulaski on April 30 of this year.

During his 11 years as President of Martin Methodist College, Starnes oversaw three major building projects, including the Johnston Center , which is the library and academic classroom building. Looking to the future, it was built to accommodate a four-year curriculum, even though Martin College is a two-year program. Other major structures include the Grissom Gazebo, a focal campus meeting place for social events, and the Robert E. Curry Christian Life Center, which houses a basketball arena seating 1,700, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, walking track, two hand-ball courts, weight rooms and three class rooms. During Starnes' tenure, the size of the campus was more than doubled through purchase of adjacent land.

Prior to his appointment as President of Martin Methodist College, Rev. & Mrs. Starnes spent 11 years as missionaries to the Belgium Congo in Africa, where he started the Congo Polytechnic Institute, one branch of which has become the University of the Congo, with more than 5,000 students. While in Africa , Mrs. Starnes worked with the United Methodist Women, trained Sunday school teachers, and taught health and hygiene, home economics, and French.

Since his “retirement”, Rev. Starnes continues to preach and counsel on a regular basis, as well as conduct funeral, wedding and consecration ceremonies. He was interim pastor of Tullahoma First Presbyterian Church for one year. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt University and an honorary Doctorate of Humanities degree from Lambuth University . He also studied at the Ecole Coloniale in Brussels.