May 2008 Chugiak Crier Newsletter
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How a pastor is chosen for a United Methodist Church - “In a Nutshell”
Have you been wondering how the United Methodist Church provides individual churches with a pastor? “No local church is the total body of Christ. Therefore, local United Methodist churches are bound together by a common mission and common governance that accomplish reaching out into the world. United Methodist churches and organizations join in mission with each other and with other denominations.” (www.umc.org Structure and Organization: An overview).
The clergy appointment system is one way this connectionalism is carried out. Our church’s pastor is not a member of our church. Instead, he or she is a member of another Conference (UMC of Chugiak is part of the Alaska Missionary Conference) and is appointed to our church for one year at a time for an average of four years.
This is called an “itinerant” system because the pastor moves from church to church during his or her career.
In other denominations congregations may seek out their own pastors and may ordain them in the local church. This is known as a “call” system. (http://archives.umc.org “Annual Clergy Appointment”). Check out our denomination’s website. There you will find a more in depth explanation of the workings of the United Methodist Church.
Jan Wachsmuth, Assistant Lay Leader, Staff Parish Relations Committee Member