James P. Beliasov, 78, was taken suddenly to be with his Savior and Lord on March 23, 2017. He was a faithful pastor of God’s word.

Jim was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on May 13, 1938 to Alec and Nellie Beliasov. He graduated from Southside High School and attended Penn State University for one year. After working a bit, God directed him to move to Philadelphia to study for ministry. He graduated from Philadelphia College of Bible (now Cairn University) and followed that by attending and graduating from Grove City (PA) University with a degree in secondary education. With a desire to help small churches, he became affiliated with the Fellowship of Baptists for Home Missions, centered then in Elyria, Ohio. There he met his future wife, Janice (Jann) Gilchrist, a christian education director. They were married in Watertown, Connecticut in 1966.

Their first ministry together was at Langhorne, Pennsylvania where Langhorne Terrace Baptist Church and parsonage were built and established. It was there that their only child, Paul, was born. Their second ministry was at Manchester, Connecticut where Faith Baptist Church was started and established as God brought people together. Later, Jim was asked to stay on as regular pastor. He accepted and enjoyed a fruitful ministry for 30 years. During this time he also completed a master of ministry degree from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois.

Over the years Jim and Jann spent parts of many wonderful summers at the George Gilchrist cottage in Bayville, Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Jann had grown up summering in Bayville, learning the joys of living on and in the ocean and walking on beautiful forest trails. The adjustment for a “city boy” was a little slower, but he came to learn to appreciate it.

In 1998, they moved to West Harbor Pond Condominiums. Jim very much enjoyed frequently visiting the Y pool and talking with Y friends. He greatly benefited from this exercise. During these retirement years, Jim wanted to continue to help churches in a “travel radius” from his home here. He received training from Interim Pastor Ministries of Orleans, Michigan and over time was able to help nine churches in southern Maine be able to call their own pastor and carry on full time.

Pastor Jim is survived by his wife, Jann; their son, Paul and his wife Miriam and their children, Noah, Noelle and Nadia who live in Indonesia where Paul teaches at an international English academy. He is also survived by one brother, Alec, of Novi, Michigan and his wife Lexi; their son, Michael and his wife Jill and their two children, Ben and Elizabeth, all of Northville, Michigan.

There will be a Service of Celebration of Pastor Jim’s life held at the Boothbay Baptist Church on Saturday, June 3.