Bishop Leeland announces a new superintendent

Bishop Leeland and the cabinet announce a new appointment that will be effective July 1, 2018. 

Linda Kelly, currently serving at First United Methodist Church Lenoir, in the Appalachian District will be appointed to the Smoky Mountain District.
 
She is a graduate of Wake Forest University (B.S., 1977), Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.,1981) and Duke University (Th.M.,1985)
 
She served Centenary UMC in New Bern (NCC) associate (1983-1984,1986-1989); Central UMC in Shelby, associate (1990-1993); Transferred to WNCC (1991); Asbury UMC in Huntersville (1993-1996); Trinity UMC in Gastonia (1996-1997); St. Stephen UMC in Charlotte, associate (1997-1999); Matthews UMC, associate (1999-2002); Bradley Memorial UMC in Gastonia (2002-2007); Weaverville UMC (2007-2014) and has been at First UMC in Lenoir since 2014.
 
Linda currently serves on the Board of Ordained Ministry and participated in The Royce and Jane Reynolds Program in Church Leadership (2011-2012).
 
Linda's daughter, Kasey (23), is a recent graduate of UNC Asheville.
 
Randy Harry, the current superintendent of the Smoky Mountain District (2015-present), will be taking another appointment effective July 1, 2018.  His appointment will be announced at a later date.