Bishop Ray Paul Payne

Bishop Ray Paul Payne, 89, of Elizabethtown, peacefully entered into his eternal home at 1:06 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.

He served in the ministry of the Church of God of Prophecy for more than 71 years. His spiritual journey began long before he became a licensed minister in 1954, when he was saved at a young age and helped his parents in their ministry since the age of 16. He graduated from the Bible Training Institute in Cleveland, Tennessee, in 1957. He served as an Evangelist from 1954 to 1957 in South Carolina and neighboring states. He pastored seven churches: Willard, Painesville and Cambridge, Ohio; Gas City, Indianapolis and Evansville, Indiana; and Somerset. State Overseer of three states from 1979 to 1985, Ohio, 1985 to 1994, Kentucky, and 1994 to 2000 South Carolina. Since 2000, he has served as senior minister to Bethesda Ministry in Elizabethtown.

He resides with his wife, Betty Jo Payne, to whom he has been married for 68 years.

They have worked as a team sharing the gospel, establishing churches and winning hundreds to the Kingdom of God. His successful Ministry, life and legacy are attributed to one key element: ""loving people."" He has admonished the words Paul wrote in II Timothy 4:6-8. ""For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, and I have kept the faith:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only. But until all those also that love his appearing.""

He was preceded in death by his parents, Connie Lee and Ethyl Payne; his stepmother; eight siblings; and a grandson, Landen Robert Ray Kissinger.

Survivors include his wife and three daughters, Dwanala Janell Payne, Darla Joyce (Dean) Brock and Denise Raelene (Jeff) Gillenwater; six grandchildren including Victoria (Ben) Temple, Olivia (Brandon) Reed, Nolan (Katlyn) Gillenwater, Julius Kissinger and Makenzy Kissinger; and seven great-grandchildren, Mallory and Ella Temple, Chloe, Ali and Wilken Reed and Levi and Oaklynn Gillenwater; and a brother, Rondell Lee Payne.

The funeral is at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 13, t Bethesda House of Mercy in Elizabethtown. Burial follows in Elizabethtown Memorial Gardens.

Visitation is from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday and continues at 9 a.m. Monday, all at church.

The family has requested donations be made to Samaritan's Purse, Franklin Graham in memory of Ray Payne.