“I was very reluctant,” Mayton said.

As a college student, he had his future mapped out in a completely different direction. Majoring in political science, he was preparing for a career in law, accepted into law school, and ready to move forward.

“I had no concept of pastoral ministry as being the choice,” he said.

Even those closest to him expected a different path. His wife, whom he met in college, believed she was marrying a future lawyer. His father, who worked in the medical field, had once hoped he might pursue medicine.

But during his senior year, a small moment shifted everything.

While working in the college library, Mayton came across a catalog describing a new dual-degree program in law and theology. Curious, he applied and was accepted. He entered the program intending to give it a year.

Instead, he found something unexpected.

“What caught me wasn’t just the study,” he said. “It was the spirit and sense of community.”

That experience changed the trajectory of his life.

 

Even then, Mayton remained unsure whether ministry would lead him into a church. He considered pursuing a PhD and becoming a professor. But life events, including the passing of his mother, led him back to Memphis, where an unexpected opportunity emerged.

A local church offered him a position as an assistant pastor.

Much of his early work focused on youth ministry, a role that aligned closely with what had drawn him into seminary in the first place.

“Youth are very open to relationships,” he said. “That’s what really caught me.”

From there, his ministry grew through a series of associate pastor roles in South Carolina and Kansas, each one deepening his experience in relationship-building and community engagement.

Eventually, that journey led him to Memorial Presbyterian Church in Midland.

 

When Mayton first arrived in Midland, the setting did not immediately stand out.

“It was winter. It was gray. It was cold,” he recalled.

But what stood out was something far more important.

“The people captured me.”

Like the communities he had served before, Midland offered something he valued deeply. But it also offered something unique.

“What was different about Midland,” he said, “was how open people were to building relationships across all areas of the community.”

From the beginning, he was encouraged not just to serve within the church, but to engage with the broader community. That openness allowed him to build relationships across nonprofits, businesses, and civic organizations.

Originally expecting to stay five to seven years, Mayton is now in his 37th year in Midland.

“I was looking for a place where my family could thrive,” he said. “And I found that here.”

 

Though his role is rooted in the church, Mayton sees his work as extending far beyond it.

“My church is not just within these walls,” he said. “It’s the people.”

That perspective has shaped his approach to ministry and community involvement. Whether attending a nonprofit event, connecting with local leaders, or mentoring others, Mayton finds the same sense of purpose.

“I get as much inspiration at a community event as I do within the church,” he said.

His presence throughout Midland has led some to refer to him informally as a “business pastor,” a reflection of how deeply he is woven into the fabric of the community.

For Mayton, it comes down to one simple principle.

“It’s about being present,” he said.

 

Over decades of service, Mayton has come to view Midland as something special.

“This is a community of possibilities,” he said.

He describes a culture where people are willing to open doors, support one another, and work toward shared growth. It is a place where nonprofits, businesses, and individuals are all seen as contributors to the same larger vision.

That belief continues to motivate him, even beyond traditional retirement.

“I don’t have to be doing this,” he said. “But I’m energized by it.”

 

When asked about his vision for Midland’s future, Mayton does not point to a single initiative or outcome. Instead, he speaks to a broader sense of belonging.

“I want everyone to experience the well-being and the spirit of community that I’ve experienced here,” he said.

He hopes to see Midland continue to grow as a place where people feel welcomed, valued, and connected, where no one feels left out of the community’s shared progress.

For Mayton, that vision is deeply personal.

“It’s about helping people find their place,” he said.

After more than three decades, that calling remains as strong as ever.