Bishop names new district superintendent

When the Rev. Mickey Rainwater leaves his post as pastor at Tyner United Methodist Church this June, he'll be returning to his home district.

Rainwater, age 45, is projected for appointment as Morristown District superintendent, Bishop James Swanson recently announced.

Rainwater will lead the 109 churches of Morristown after serving at Tyner of Chattanooga District since 2003. He follows the Rev. Richard Patterson, who will retire in June after serving as Morristown District superintendent since 2001.

Rainwater's home church is Hills Union United Methodist Church of Morristown District, where the Rev. Rick Clowers and the late Rev. John Lindy were among his childhood pastors. His mother, Thelma Rainwater, still attends Hills Union.

At age 19, Rainwater was appointed as lay pastor to Mulberry Gap UMC of the Del Rio Circuit, also in Morristown District. He would later graduate from Candler School of Theology and become an elder in full connection, serving Red Bank UMC as associate from 1987 to 1991, St. Paul- Etowah UMC from 1991 to 1996, and Seymour UMC from 1996 to 2003.

"It's exciting, it's overwhelming," Rainwater said of his projected appointment, which will be effective when pastoral appointments are fixed on June 13, the last day of Annual Conference. "The biggest part of this has to do with the Morristown District. I'm going home.

"I often refer to myself as an overeducated country boy," he added. "I think I'm very well acquainted with that area and culture."

Rainwater is married to Joy, a former elementary school teacher who now works full-time in the home as mother to their 2-year-old daughter, Elizabeth.

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