NEWS

Team Ministry Announcement Made by Cabinet

The Bishop and Cabinet have been in prayerful conversation in regards to the best possible use of resources for the deployment of pastors, the possibilities for Spirit-filled congregations and the great mission field to which we have been called.  As we prayerfully consider pastors for our churches as well as the unique opportunity in various regions we have, in consultation with churches and pastors, come to a creative open door for cooperative ministry. 

One such ministry will be that of the First UMC of Andover with the Leon and Richmond UMCs.  This new work will consist of a strong host church in Andover UMC as the teaching or mentoring church under paragraph 205.3 in the Discipline with two additional shared and yet separate satellites in a “Shared Ministry Team”.  The initial sharing of resources would be to appoint the Reverend Vernon Palo as well as Jason Hockran as an associate to all three churches.  This creative configuration would give Pastor Palo, as the presiding elder, the opportunity to develop and deploy Jason Hockran and other gifted supply preaching to the mission outposts of Leon and Richmond. 

The other general assets between the three churches would emerge in a cooperative ministry called “Common Cup”.  Imagine bell choirs, youth ministries, chancel choirs and children’s’ ministries that would be available to all three churches on a rotating basis as seen fit by the lead pastor and staff of this charge and many other possibilities.  Even though there are unlimited shared possibilities of doing innovative and mutual ministry, there is also, in this arrangement, the autonomy of remaining three separate churches in separate two distinct charges. 

Each church will remain its own chartered status as a United Methodist Church and maintain its own structure of Trustees, Finance, nominations or Leadership Development and a Council.  Appointment formulas, budgets and church structure will be unaffected.  Each church will be independently responsible for its own facility and operation with an expanded potential to share spiritual resources with the world around them. 

Our deep hope for this innovative model is to see a strong host church, such as First UMC of Andover give spiritual mentoring, opportunities for spiritual formation, and places for shared service ministry to Leon and Richmond in such a way that all three churches more radically reach out “to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world”. 

As each church shares many common challenges and even the same school district, we know that the possibility of seeing more clearly the reality of us being One Church in ministry with three mission outposts to reach into the world has greater potential to bear fruit for Christ and produce meaningful ministry beyond those that are already convinced of God’s goodness in Jesus.  This team ministry approach is just one of several the Cabinet has been working to develop.