Signal Crest United Methodist ChurchThe Rev. Dale Wyrick, a Bastian, Va., native and a pastor of United Methodist churches for nearly 40 years, has been appointed pastor at Signal Crest United Methodist Church on Signal Mountain.
He is one of eight pastors whose new appointments in the denomination's Chattanooga District became official on Wednesday at the Holston Annual Conference in Lake Junaluska, N.C.
Wyrick replaces the Rev. Mark Gooden at the 1,065-member church. Gooden was appointed pastor of Munsey Memorial UMC in Johnson City, Tenn.
Before being appointed to Signal Crest, Wyrick had served as pastor of 484-member Spring City UMC and 26-member Reeds Chapel UMC, also in Spring City.
Other new appointments in the Chattanooga District include Jim Diehl at First UMC in Whitwell, Tenn., and at Havron's Chapel in Jasper, Tenn.; Will Lauderback at McFarland UMC in Rossville; Charles Ensminger at Harrison UMC; Christina DowlingSoka at Wauhatchie UMC; Joe DowlingSoka at St. Elmo UMC; Bruce Galyon at Red Bank UMC; and Annette Flynn at Wildwood UMC.
It was previously announced that the Rev. Brenda F. Carroll would become superintendent of the denomination's Chattanooga District.
Diehl has been pastor at Havron's Chapel since 2008 but adds First UMC to his charge.
Lauderback comes from First Broad Street UMC in Kingsport, where he has been an associate pastor since 2011.
Ensminger has been pastor at Blountville UMC since 2011. He previously served Tasso (2000-2004) and Niota and Cedar Springs (2004-2011), both in the Cleveland District. He replaces Tom Hancock, who has been at Harrison for nine years.
Christina DowlingSoka comes from Munsey Memorial UMC, where she has been an associate pastor since 2006. She replaces Willard Akers, who has been at Wauhatchie for five years.
Joe DowlingSoka has been pastor at First UMC in Bristol, Tenn., since 2006. He replaces Mark Dowell, who has been at St. Elmo for three years.
Galyon comes from Central UMC in Knoxville, where he had been pastor since 2005. In the Cleveland District, he previously served the Calhoun and Spring Creek UMCs from 1990 to 1996. He replaces Jeffrey Lambert, who has been at Red Bank for six years.
Flynn has been on a leave of absence since 2012 but has assisted in services at St. Marks Church in the North Shore community. She was previously associate pastor at Signal Crest UMC 2010-12. She replaces Andrew Givens, who has been at Wildwood for three years.
New United Methodist appointments in the Cleveland District include Joe Phillips at Daisy, Renny Whittenbarger at Ducktown and Croft Chapel, Misti Dawn McCreary at Englewood-Pleasant Grove and Etowah, Corey Douglas Miller at Graysville and New Bethel, Anthony Burns at McDonald, Jason Humberd at Goodfield Circuit, Jeffrey Todd Gingrea at Soddy, Bert Beria at South Cleveland, Anthony Collins at Spring City and Reed's Chapel, James Ferguson at Trinity in Athens and Billy Kurtz at Wesley Memorial in Etowah.