Bishop Julius Calvin Trimble announced Sunday that the Rev. Harlan Gillespie will become the new Superintendent for the North Central District of the Iowa Annual Conference. He will begin his ministry on the District on July 1, 2014.
“I have worked with Rev Harlan Gillespie and respect his passion for the church, his attention to detail and his love of worship,” Bishop Trimble said. “As a delegate to the World Methodist Conference held in South Africa, and as one who loves Wesleyan history and theology he is committed to strengthening our witness in Iowa and worldwide.”
Rev. Gillespie is currently the Senior Pastor of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids. He was ordained as an Elder and elected to full Conference membership in 1989. He has served Plymouth-Rock Falls; Lake Park-Excelsior; and Iowa City, St Mark’s prior to his appointment to St. Paul’s in 2004.
He succeeds Rev. Dr. Dennis Tevis as the North Central Superintendent. Dr. Tevis will be retiring at the upcoming Annual Conference session.