Pastoral Transition
On Sunday, January 12th, Pastor Annette officially announced she is retiring from pastoral ministry this Summer. You can read her full announcement here.
While we are so excited to celebrate Pastor Annette and her incredible ministry career, we know this leaves everyone with a lot of questions. We've put together some resources to help answer questions and guide us through this transition. We also encourage you to check out our sermon series "Transitions: Navigating Seasons of Change with Grace", which centers on preparing our hearts and learning to live in in the "neutral zone" in life's transitions.
We also invite you to check this page for important updates and details on the pastoral transition, as well as ways in which we are planning on celebrating the ministry of Pastor Annette!
United Methodist Church Transition Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
How are Pastors in the United Methodist Church Appointed? In the United Methodist Church, pastors are appointed by the Bishop and the cabinet (the District Superintendents) in consultation with the Staff Parish Relationship Committee (SPRC) of the local church. The SPRC outlines the ministry of the church, and the qualities needed in the new pastoral leader to lead the church forward in fulfilling that ministry. The Bishop and Cabinet know and assess the clergy available for a new appointment. Then the Bishop and Cabinet deliberate, pray, select, and then send the best clergy leader available to lead the church forward. This is different from the “call” system where local churches interview and select their own pastor after a lengthy search process.
Who is our District Superintendent? Rev. Dr. Sharon Austin currently serves as the East Central District Superintendent, and she is responsible for working with Suntree UMC SPRC and representing Suntree in the appointment making process. She has already begun this conversation with SPRC, and that consultation will continue over the coming months.
When does the Cabinet meet? There are several Cabinet appointment making sessions scheduled for this year: February 10 - 12, March 3 - 6, and March 27.
When will we know who our new Senior Pastor is? Once all the appointments have been confirmed, first with pastors and then with SPRC’s, the public announcement of Suntree UMC’s new senior pastor will be made on Sunday, April 27. Until “Announcement Sunday”, the appointment conversations and consultation process remains confidential and SPRC will not be able to share any information.
Will this change affect the Associate Pastor or other staff positions? No. Pastor Bailey will remain the Associate Pastor, and all other staff positions will remain the same.
When will our new Senior Pastor start? The new pastor will begin their service at Suntree as of July 1, 2025. Appointments are made each calendar year which means that at any time, a pastor can be reassigned to a new church. However, the Bishop and Cabinet recognize the importance of longer tenures for senior pastoral leaders and therefore support longer appointments whenever possible.
Transitions Resources
Below are some resources to help us navigate this transition together well.
7 Steps to an Ideal Transition Brochure