Baptist Pastor Considering Switch to Methodism

[circuitrider]

Rawtheran,

Just so you know, what you are saying about Ohio doesn’t entirely hold true for Iowa. So we need to let prospective candidates that length of appointment and consultation (or not) depends a lot on the conference.

If you see ordination in the UMC you do promise that you go where you are placed. You do get input. But the Bishop makes the final decision, not the pastor being appointed. Also, a 15 year stay is very unusual for Iowa. We have a small handful of people who manage to stay that long.

Average appointments now are more in the 5-7 year range in this conference.

 

[Rawtheran]

Rawtheran,

Just so you know, what you are saying about Ohio doesn’t entirely hold true for Iowa. So we need to let prospective candidates that length of appointment and consultation (or not) depends a lot on the conference.

If you see ordination in the UMC you do promise that you go where you are placed. You do get input. But the Bishop makes the final decision, not the pastor being appointed. Also, a 15 year stay is very unusual for Iowa. We have a small handful of people who manage to stay that long.

Average appointments now are more in the 5-7 year range in this conference.

Circuitrider you are correct that things are different in each conference and that Elders are bound by covenant to be Itinerant. My apologies.

 

[circuitrider]

Circuitrider you are correct that things are different in each conference and that Elders are bound by covenant to be Itinerant. My apologies.

No apologies necessary! I just wanted our Baptist friend to know that how he would experience the UMC would vary some by conference.

Just as a testimonial, I'm in my 3rd UMC appointment. I have served the three best churches I've ever served since I became a United Methodist. The cabinet and Bishop have done better for me than I did for myself when I looked for my own churches.

I pastored four Baptist churches in my Baptist carrier and two of the four of them were highly conflicted congregations. I didn't know they were in conflict until after I was there because the search committee didn't tell me.

That seldom happens in the UMC. If the church you are being appointed to has issues the District Superintendent will tell you what is going on with the church so that you can proactively address those issues.

Also I am treated more like the Pastor in the UMC where as a Baptist I was treated more like an employee.