| Kingston
United Methodist Church 9 Church Street, Kingston, NJ 08528 -- (609) 921-6812 -- KUMC1878@verizon.net | Sunday Worship, 10:00 a.m. Children's Sunday School, 10:00 a.m. |
|
| Kingston
United Methodist Church 9 Church Street, Kingston, NJ 08528 -- (609) 921-6812 -- KUMC1878@verizon.net | Sunday Worship, 10:00 a.m. Children's Sunday School, 10:00 a.m. |
As was announced in church on March 16, I will not be reappointed to Kingston UMC this coming conference year and, instead, will be appointed to the United Methodist Church at Milltown. My last Sunday at Kingston will be June 15.
Every United Methodist pastor serves by appointment of a Bishop for one year at a time. Someone can serve a church for 20 years but during that time will receive 20 one-year appointments. Ideally, appointments are made for missional reasons—bringing the gifts and graces of a pastor together with the strengths and needs of a local congregation.
The pastor who currently serves at Milltown has been there for 16 years and is leaving that church because the Bishop is appointing him to serve the Raritan Valley District as District Superintendent. Even though I had asked to be reappointed to Kingston, the Bishop felt that I had the gifts and graces and was the right person to serve as pastor when Bob Scott moves from Milltown to the district parsonage.
This new appointment will also allow me to transfer my conference membership from the Central Texas Conference to the Greater New Jersey Conference—something I have wanted to do for some time.
As I write this, we do not know who will be appointed to Kingston. Someone will be, and his or her first Sunday will be July 6. One of the strengths of the United Methodist system is that no church will be without a pastor.
While saying goodbye is always hard, I have no doubt that God is not done with Kingston UMC yet, and I know that God is not finished with you yet, either.
Grace and peace,
David C.Mertz