In-person worship services continue every Sunday @ 9:00am and 11:15am. Also Live Streaming on this site, YouTube and Facebook.

Former pastors of Miles Memorial United Methodist Church

1910

Reverend W. P. Wright

1911

Reverend R. H. Diehl

1912

Reverend N. J. Pruden

1913

Reverend J. Co Rosser

1913-1915

Reverend T. J. Taylor

1915-1920

Reverend L. A. Smith

1920-1922

Reverend R. N. Hartness

1922-1924

Reverend L. T. Hitt

Rev H A Glauss2

1924-1927

Rev H A Glauss

Rev O L Gilliam

1927-1929

Rev O L Gilliam

Rev B L Shipman

1929-1931

Rev B L Shipman

Rev George Bishop

1931-1933

Rev George Bishop

Rev H W Curry

1933-1937

Rev H W Curry

Rev Henry A Harrell

1937-1942

Rev Henry A Harrell

Rev Leonard R Black

1942-1946

Rev Leonard R Black

Rev Ralph L Haga

1946-1950

Rev Ralph L Haga

Rev Theodore M Swann

1950-1954

Rev Dr Theodore M Swann

Rev W Carroll Freeman

1954-1958

Rev Dr W Carroll Freeman

Rev John R Hendricks

1958-1961

Rev Dr John R Hendricks

Rev W W McIntyre

1961-1965

Rev Dr William W McIntyre

Lee O Mortzfeldt

1965-1969

Rev Lee O Mortzfeldt

Rev John Teter

1969-1975

Rev John Teter

Rev Reid W Digges

1975-1977

Rev Dr Reid W Digges Jr

Rev Norman Preston2

1977-1981

Rev Norman G Preston Jr

Rev Reginald Potts

1981-1986

Rev Reginald H Potts III

Rev O Murry Unruh2

1986-1991

Rev O Murry Unruh

Rev Daniel Ivey

1991-1994

Rev Daniel Ivey

Rev Morris A Bennett

1994-2001

Rev Morris A Bennett

Rev Gus Wright

2001-2003

Rev William C Gus Wright

Rev James McClung

2003-2005

Rev James McClung

2005-2010

Rev Kathleen Monge

2010-2016

Rev John Haynes

When people new to United Methodism hear that a new pastor will soon be serving their congregation, they may ask:

Why don’t we get to choose our pastor?

Who makes these decisions?

The short answers describe how United Methodists have agreed to meet the pastoral needs of congregations.

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, preached up to 40,000 sermons in his lifetime. He was an “itinerant” preacher, traveling from town to town in England, setting up Methodist societies.

In the days of Francis Asbury, the first of two Methodist bishops in the United States, a pastor – most often a circuit rider – might be appointed to half of a state or more. His appointment might be for only three months, after which he moved to another circuit. Thousands of the oldest United Methodist congregations today trace their history to a circuit rider.

This traveling from place to place to begin Methodist societies in principle led to the itinerant system The United Methodist Church uses today. 

“Itinerancy” refers specifically to the commitment by pastors to go and serve wherever their bishops send them. “Appointment” is the action taken by bishops. These are different, yet related.

Before they are ordained or licensed, clergy in The United Methodist Church agree to serve where their bishop appoints them. Appointments are for one year at a time. and can be renewed for additional years. For elders and local pastors, particularly, the goal is to match the gifts and graces of the particular pastor with the ministry needs of a particular congregation. In this “serial leadership” of consecutive pastors – no two are alike – over time, the combination of skills blends to form a broad base of developed ministries.

While bishops make appointments, they incorporate a consultative process outlined in The Book of Discipline that includes district superintendents, pastors and pastor and staff/parish relations committees. The needs and desires of clergy are considered, says Missouri Bishop Robert Schnase, but “the mission of the church comes first.”

Over the years 32 “itinerant” pastors have served appointments at Miles Memorial ranging from one year to seven years. Each pastor had their own gifts and graces and came and went as the needs of the church changed with time.

—Adapted from “Chuck Knows Church,” Discipleship Ministries, and the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry website.