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Bishop Names New District Superintendents
Three new superintendents will be appointed to the Knoxville, Maryville and Wytheville districts at Annual Conference 2002, Bishop Ray Chamberlain recently announced.
Tapped for cabinet positions are the Rev. Stella Roberts, Knoxville District; the Rev. Brian Taylor, Maryville District; and the Rev. Charles Starks, Wytheville District. The superintendents will officially begin serving their districts after Annual Conference in June.
Taylor and Starks will assume offices previously led by the Rev. Bob Bostick (Maryville) and the Rev. J.N. Howard (Wytheville), who both recently announced plans to retire. Roberts will follow the Rev. Jim Whedbee, Knoxville District superintendent since 1998. Whedbee will be taking an appointment in a local church.
"I am so grateful for the three persons who will join the cabinet as district superintendents," Chamberlain said recently. "Each of them bring a spirituality as well as the graces and gifts required for their new office. I look forward to being in ministry with them."
Roberts, 51, has served Keith Memorial UMC in Athens, Tenn., since 1987, previously as associate pastor and currently as senior pastor. She has served on the Board of Ordained Ministry since 1994, chairing the board since 1999. A native of Greenwich, Conn., Roberts attended West Virginia Wesleyan College and Yale Divinity School. She was a member of the West Virginia Annual Conference before transferring to the Holston Conference in 1994. Her spouse, the Rev. Sam Roberts, is professor of religion and philosophy at Tennessee Wesleyan College.
"I always saw myself as a pastor in ministry at a local church, so [serving as district superintendent] is a different kind of ministry for me," Roberts recently told The Call. "One thing that excites me is the variety of ministries happening in the Knoxville District. I'm looking forward to learning about them, meeting the people, and then moving from there to future ministries."
Starks, 47, has served as senior pastor at Asbury UMC in Greeneville, Tenn., since 1997. He also has served at First Newport (Morristown District) and at Pleasantville, Meadowview and the Broadford Circuit, all of the Abingdon District. A native of Bland County, Va., Starks attended Candler School of Theology. He is married to Angela Starks; they have one daughter, Olivia Grace, age 2.
Starks said of his new appointment, "It's a pretty major task because of all the responsibilities that go with it. But it's energizing to think that I'll have the opportunity to be part of a significant region of this conference." Citing Hispanic ministries as an example, Starks said he was impressed with the Wytheville District's "willingness to get on the cutting edge of emerging ministries. I'm waiting to meet with and talk to the folks and get a sense of other visions for ministry."
Taylor, 40, has served at Mountain View UMC in Kingsport, Tenn., since 1998. He previously served at First Pennington Gap and First Morristown. Taylor's home church is Concord UMC in Knoxville, where he met his spouse-to-be, Tricia. They attended Emory & Henry College together; Taylor later attended seminary at Candler School of Theology. The couple has three children: Brittany, 14, Zachary, 12, and Carrie, 6.
"It is quite an honor to be asked to be district superintendent, especially at my age. I'm honored that the cabinet and Bishop have confidence in me," Taylor said recently. He described the Maryville District as "diverse, with a growing, transient population and many opportunities for ministry.
There are also several wonderful institutions in the Maryville District," he added, citing Asbury Acres, Camp Wesley Woods, and Hiwassee College. "I'm looking forward to serving there."
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