New Staff Changes and Directions Announced

Bishop Goodpaster and the Cabinet announced several changes in the conference staff, including new positions and new directions for our shared mission. “We continue to move toward resourcing and supporting local churches in alignment with our core purpose which is to increase the number of vital churches fully engaged in God’s mission in the world,” explained Bishop Goodpaster. Vital Discipleship John Boggs will be appointed to serve as the Conference Director of Vital Discipleship. As we have listened to and responded to local churches, we have recognized the need for an intentional focus on disciple-making systems. This newly created position will design and develop processes that will assist local churches in cultivating deeply committed and transformed disciples. Working collaboratively with local churches, superintendents, and other conference leaders, John will give leadership and guidance in discovering fresh expressions of faithful discipleship. Working alongside John will be our team of Church Vitality Strategists who have already been deployed across our conferences providing support and encouragement to both lay and clergy leaders in our local churches. We have recognized the effectiveness of the work of our CVS team and believe the time has come to extend their influence. Starting July 1, we will move from having only four Strategists to a team of eight, with each CVS assigned to one district. Those appointments and assignments are: Appalachian District – Tim Roberts Blue Ridge District – Luke Lingle Catawba Valley District – Kim Shockley Metro District – Stephanie Hand Northern Piedmont District – Maria King Smoky Mountain District – Sherrie Schork Uwharrie District – Carroll Harris Yadkin Valley District – Rene Wilt The Vitality Project In a new venture, in partnership with our United Methodist Foundation and The Duke Endowment (TDE), we are launching The Vitality Project intended to help the conference and particularly our local churches think about and plan for the future. The focus of this project will be to find new ways of doing and being church and to move congregations toward thriving in the twenty-first century. This project is fully funded for the next five years through a major grant from The Duke Endowment for which we are immensely grateful. Lyn Sorrells will be appointed to serve as the first Team Leader for The Vitality Project and will be working across the conference with local church leaders and a wide range of stakeholders. Angela Hollar will be appointed to serve as the first Team Associate.  In collaboration with the Cabinet, the Director of Vital Discipleship, the CVS team, and congregations, Lyn and Angela will be deployed across the conference to initiate this new ministry initiative. They will also be assisted and supported in their work by staff from The Duke Endowment, our UM Foundation, and others focused on data gathering and analysis. Bishop Goodpaster remarked, “I am excited about the prospects and potential of The Vitality Project and believe that in the years to come it will have a significant impact on our conference and our denomination. I am deeply grateful for the many partners who have been working together to get us to this point, including our UM Foundation, the Cabinet, and The Duke Endowment. Certainly without the financial support of this multi-year grant from TDE, none of this would be possible. I cannot wait to see what God is going to do through this project in the years to come.” Office of Ministerial Services After four years on the conference staff, Sally Queen will be appointed to a local church in July.  Annalee Allen will be appointed as the Associate Director of Ministerial Services, with primary responsibilities for Call & Vocation, Candidacy, Residency in Ordained Ministry (RIOM), and Local Pastor Mentoring. “We are thankful for Sally’s excellent work in this position and especially for the ways in which she has helped us all to focus on God’s call to ministry in our lives.  Annalee Allen will bring her passion and gifts of care, compassion, and insight to this important work.  Having served as a dedicate candidacy mentor over the past several years, Annalee has exemplified what it takes to identify, clarify, and nurture another’s call into vocational ministry,” Bishop Goodpaster noted.