Go With God, Parts 1-2

Go With God, Parts 1-2

In "The Newsletter of Clovis Memorial United Methodist Church" May 2010 issue, Cecil Leonardo, Chairperson of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee, wrote with this headline: "UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PASTORAL APPOINTMENT-


MAKING PROCESS." Cecil begins, "Everyone is by now aware that Pastor Denice has been re-appointed to the United Methodist Church in Hughson, California, after having served our church for 13 years. It is indeed a sad time for us and our pastor, but as we move through our grief, the Staff-Parrish Relations Committee (SPRC) felt it important that we all have an understanding of how a new pastor will be appointed to our church. This process is laid out in some detail in the 2008 UMC Book of Discipline, but is summarized below, hopefully simplified. The periodic movement of United Methodist pastors from one church to another is based upon a UMC principle called "itinerancy," which basically means that pastors are subject to reassignment to a different church from time to time during their years of service. The period for a new appointment is generally not less than three years, and as evidenced in the case of Pastor Denice, an appointment to one church can last much longer. As upsetting as this process is, or can be, it is not new; pastors joining the UMC ministry are aware of this policy. Having said that, then what is the next step in the process for us? Actually, the first of a number of steps has already occurred. The Book of Discipline puts the major responsibility on the SPRC for acting as the Church representative. District Superintendent Mariellen Yoshino (the DS) called a meeting with the SPRC on April 7, 2009, for the purpose of discussing the appointment process, but more importantly, to hear from us our desires and expectations in a new pastor. At the invitation of the SPRC, certain members representing our 9:30 am, 11:00 am, and the Hmong services attended the meeting. In addition to our

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