Bishop and Cabinet announce appointment changes

Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett and the Cabinet announce clergy appointment changes to take effect July 1, 2023.

Among these new appointments are changes in the leadership of the Conference’s eight districts. In anticipation that the current shift in the number of local congregations within the Conference may lead to the redrawing of district lines in 2024, the Cabinet has decided to undertake what they call a “transitional year.”

Beginning on July 1, the current eight districts will continue. However, in an exercise of stewardship, the Cabinet will include four full-time District Superintendents who will each oversee their current district and a second one. Each District Superintendent will be assisted by a part-time Associate District Superintendent per district. The North Alabama Conference has successfully had District Superintendents who oversaw two Districts and has had Districts served by Associate District Superintendents in the past.

With this change, the number of churches each District Superintendent will oversee is in keeping with what they currently and have historically supervised. To best ensure that the strategic, missional, pastoral, and administrative work of each District will be done effectively and efficiently, each District will now have a District Superintendent, Associate District Superintendent, District Assistant and District Developer.

The Appointive Cabinet beginning July 1 will be:

• Rev. Sherill Clontz serving Cheaha and Northeast Districts;
• Rev. Vicki Cater serving Northwest and Southwest Districts;
• Rev. Dr. Rick Owen serving Central and South Central Districts;
• Rev. Jeff Davis serving Mountain Lake and Southeast Districts.

Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett says, “I fully believe that God is calling us to make this time of change in North Alabama a season of renewal for our churches and Conference. I am excited about our transitional year. The four District Superintendents who will comprise the North Alabama Appointive Cabinet have proven to be solid leaders for our Annual Conference. I look forward to our continued ministry together. I also owe my deepest appreciation to those Superintendents who are leaving the Cabinet. They, along with our continuing District Superintendents, have given us faithful and outstanding leadership during a turbulent time.”

Current District Superintendents Rev. Tom Parrish and Rev. Donald Smith are retiring this summer. Rev. Sherri Reynolds will be appointed to serve as senior pastor of Gadsden First United Methodist Church.

Bishop Wallace-Padgett adds, “Additionally, beginning in July each of our Districts will receive a gift in having an Associate District Superintendent to help support local churches. The Central District is seeing success with Rev. Dr. Richard Stryker currently serving as its Associate. We’ve also seen the great impact our District Developers have made in all eight Districts in just the few months they have worked with our New and Renewing Churches team to help congregations and groups begin new United Methodist ministries. Working as a team is part of our North Alabama Way! I am looking forward to deploying Associate District Superintendents as the newest members of the team to work alongside the Appointive Cabinet, Extended Cabinet and all our local churches.”

The following clergy appointments will be fixed during the 2023 North Alabama Annual Conference, which will gather at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville on June 21-24, 2023. Part-time and additional appointments, including Associate District Superintendents, will be announced in the near future.