Ministry and mission and transitions in ministry were celebrated Monday at the Iowa Annual Conference Session with the Fixing of Appointments for the 2018-2019 Conference year.
Rev. Harlan Gillespie offered a message for the service drawing from his experience with "A" Mentor's Wise Words."
Everyone has a mentor, he said, and early in his ministry, he encountered one who conveyed to him that what the people in the church need is a pastor, someone who would teach them to love God and people.
That idea has never left him, he said, asking what could be better than for all to remember that commissioning.
He offered the definition of love as the willful and intentional action for someone else's well-being.
Rev. Gillespie also said that ministry means growing in the likeness of Christ, and the help others to do so as well.
Rev. Gillespie will leave as District Superintendent for the North Central District and the Dean of the Cabinet and take on the role of Assistant to the Bishop.
Ministry Transitions for the 2018-2019 Conference year:
North Central District:
- Rev. Dr. Harlan Gillespie – Assistant to the Bishop (from District Superintendent & Dean of Cabinet)
- Rev. Carol Kress – District Superintendent (from Gladbrook)
- Algona, First – Regina Harrison, Associate
- Ames, First – Kerrin Kirkpatrick, Lead
- Nicole Ross Bishop, Associate
- Eagle Grove – James Roth
- Klemme-Goodell-Thornton First – Debra Devine
- Mason City, First – Danilo Fernandez
- Radcliffe, St. John's-Ellsworth – Jerry Spencer
- Stratford, Calvary-South Marion – Fredrick Killian
- Story City, Grace – Jonathan Cooney
- Vida Nueva Hispanic Ministry – Ruben Mendoza
- Webster City, Faith-Kamrar – Peggy Ellingson
Northeast District:
- Rev. Jackie Bradford – Cedar Rapids, Kenwood Park (from District Superintendent)
- Rev. Jaymee Glenn-Burns – Cedar Rapids, Trinity St. James (from Field Outreach Minister)
- Rev. Paul Wilcox – District Superintendent (from Cedar Rapids, Lovely Lane, Lead Pastor)
- Burr Oak and Calmar – Karen Carlton
- Cedar Falls, First – Scott Keele Kober, Lead
- Colesburg – Roger White
- Dysart – Linda M. Thompson
- Decorah, First – Hyeunmee Kang
- Delhi-Buck Creek – Keith Pitts
- Fayette First-Elgin, St. Paul's – Michael Jager
- Gladbrook – Gideon Gallo
- Greene Yoke-Shell Rock-Clarksville, Community – Joan Thomas
- Independence, First – Sarah Rohret
- Living Faith (Tama-Montour)-Toledo, Christ – John Christianson
- Oelwein, Grace – Ricky Johnson
- Plainfield – Valerie Ridenour
- Shell Rock Valley Parish – Susan Simmons
- Waterloo St. Paul’s, Evensdale St. Mark’s, Raymond – Randy Moser
- Waverly Heritage – Frederick Burns
Northwest District:
- Rev. Dr. Thomas Carver – Southeast District - Bettendorf, Asbury as Senior Pastor (from NW District Superintendent)
- Rev. Ronald Carlson – District Superintendent (from Eldridge, McCausland)
- Arnolds Park, Calvary – Christopher St. Clair
- Akron, Wesley and Seney – Mary (Suzi) Larson
- Correctionville, Grace-Cushing, Firs – Kim Crummer
- Hartley-Sanborn, St. Andrew's – Michael Fillmore
- Langdon – Beth Odor
- Melvin – Judy Johnson
- Hope Parish – Kristine Frank
- West Bend-Mallard – Nathanial Tabelisma
South Central District:
- Rev. Paul Smith – District Superintended and new Dean of the Cabinet
- Attica-Pershing, Zion-Olive Chapel – Jihoon Lee
- Bloomfield-Drakesville – Jon Klaus, Associate
- Centerville, First – Pamela Kranzler
- Moulton – Kathy Kirby
- Mount Ayr Larger Parish – Mel Ammon
- New Virginia-Medora – Bruce Giese
- Milo-Liberty Center-Lacona – Allen Wiese
- Osceola, First – Amy Johnson
- United Church Diagona – Gwenlynn Trullinger
- Winterset, First – Mark Morehouse
Southeast District:
- Bettendorf, Asbury – Thomas Carver, Lead
- Davenport, Faith – Nancy Weingartner
- Davenport, Grace – Michael Herman
- Donaldson-Embury-Fort Madison United Methodist Church – Lanette Van, Lead
- Eldridge-McCausland – Courtney Dake
- Finley Chapel – Lindsey Ford
- Keosauqua-Center Chapel-Birmingham-Stockpor – Mary Kathryn Hart
- Libertyville, Faith – John Boatman
- New Sweden – Dorothy Henson
- Mount Union-Winfield – David Morris
- Muscatine, New Hope-Muscatine, Spangler Chapel – David Wittman
- Muscatine, Wesley – Brian Oliver
- Prairie View – Steven Lamb
- Wapello – Linda Morris
Southwest District:
- Shannon Schmitt – DAA (transitioning)
- Avondale-Bridgewater-Massena – Karen Patrick
- Carson-Mt. Hope – Michael Slininger
- Carroll-Firs – Terry Plocher
- Malvern-Strahan-Wesley Chapel – Joni Hickey
- Council Bluffs, Broadway – Alexis Johnson, Lead
- Mark Richard Johnson, Associate
- Council Bluffs, Fe y Esperanza – Humberto Gonzalez Santana
- Council Bluffs, Fifth Avenue – Sheri Watson
- Panora – Robyn J. Plocher
- Missouri Valley-Modale – Jason Gutzmer
- Shenandoah, First-Hamburg, First – Lucas Fillmore
Central District:
- Adel – Robert W. Barrick
- Bloomfield – Karen Nichols Dungan (from Assistant to the Bishop for Connectional Ministries)
- Altoona, Centennial at Ivy – Wendy Musgrave
- Des Moines, Burns/Des Moines, St. John's – Jacqueline Thompson
- Des Moines, Easton Place – Joseph Cephas Z. K. Davis
- Des Moines, Union Park – Caesar David
- Dallas Center – Joshua Steward
- De Soto-Dexter-Redfield – Ronald Yarnell
- Indianola, Farmers Chapel – Trevor Vaughn
- Indianola, First – Brian Williams (June 1, 2019)
- Johnston River of Life-Madrid, Hopkins Grove – Craig Ferguson
- Maple Grove – Melody Webb
- Perry-Minburn-Rippey-Fairview-La Luz – Paul Burrow, Lead Associate
- Catherine Stokes, Associate
- Prairie City-Pleasant Hill – Frederick Darbonne (Interim)
- Rhodes to New Horizons, Melbourne – Karen Garrison
- Des Moines, Sheridan Park- Des Moines, Wesley – Douglas Amis
- State Center – Brenda Gute-Willis
- West Des Moines, Valley/Thrive – Jeremy Poland
East Central District:
- Anamosa – Melody Williams
- Belle Plaine, Christ – Thomas Petersen
- Brandon-Garrison-Vinton, Stewart Memorial Annette – Ruhs Kruse
- Camanche, St. Marks – Todd Noack
- Cedar Rapids, Kenwood Park – Jackie Bradford
- Cedar Rapids, Lovely Lane – Scott J. Meador, Lead
- Jennifer Lynne Seylar, Associate
- Cedar Rapids, Trinity St. James – Jaymee Glenn-Burns
- Clinton, First – Christina Sung
- Delmar-Elwood – Nathanial Ferguson
- Iowa City, First (Associate) – Ryan Russell
- Iowa City, Korean – Hyungwook Lee
- Mechanicsville-Morley, First – Crystal Oberheu
- Mount Auburn – Annette Ruhs Kruse
- Norway – Delayed Appointment
- Preston-Sabula – Carolyn Keck
- Van Horne, Salem – Leonard Ranson
- Shueyville – Brody Tubaugh
- Solon – Kenneth Ferguson
- Tiffin, Grace – Ruby Bongolan
- Tipton, First – Stephen Pudinski
- Walker – David Kruse
- West Branch – Connie S. Markle
- Wyoming – Susen LeBlanc
Director of New Faith Communities: Rev. William Poland (from Assistant to the Bishop for Administration)
Director of Clergy Excellence: Rev. Dr. Lanette Plambeck (from Council Bluffs, Broadway Lead Pastor)
Director of Congregational Excellence: Rev. Dr. Jaye Johnson (from South Central District Field Outreach Minister)
Interim Associates for Congregational Excellence:
- Phil Carver (from Southeast Field Outreach Minister)
- Rev. Melissa Drake (from Southwest Field Outreach Minister)
- Rev. Ryan Christenson (from Northwest Field Outreach Minister)
- Naomi Sea Young Wittstruck (from Central District Field Outreach Ministry)
Interim Assistant to the Bishop: Rev. Dr. J. Robert Burkhart – Interim Assistant to the Bishop
Interim Director of Connectional Ministries: Rev. Jerry Oakland – Interim Director of Connectional Ministries
