Cooper: Methodists appoint area natives

The United Methodist Church's Holston Conference has turned to three people with Chattanooga ties to be part of its leadership team in Southwest Virginia, East Tennessee and Northwest Georgia.

The Rev. James E. Swanson, bishop of the regional conference, recently announced the Rev. Mike Hubble, who once pastored Red Bank United Methodist Church, will become superintendent of the denomination's Chattanooga District in June.

He also announced the Rev. Sandra Johnson and the Rev. Charles Maynard, both of whom grew up in Chattanooga, will become superintendents of the Abingdon (Va.) District and Maryville District, respectively.

Hubble, 61, served Red Bank from 1998 to 2002 and Keith Memorial UMC in Athens, Tenn., from 2002 to 2009. He has served as superintendent of the Abingdon District since 2009.

Earlier in his pastoral career, he served the Oak Grove-Ten Mile Circuit in the Cleveland District from 1970 to 1972 and the Unity and Chilcutt churches in the Cleveland District from 1972 to 1975.

Hubble will replace the Rev. Fred Dearing, who is retiring.

Johnson, 59, who graduated from Chattanooga High School and received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, is a second-career pastor.

She was employed at BellSouth Telecommunications Inc. from 1998 to 2006 and as an independent contractor/consultant and trainer for BellSouth from 1997 to 2001.

Johnson served as associate pastor of Eastdale Village Community UMC from 1996 to 2000 and was pastor of Hurst UMC in North Chattanooga from 2000 to 2008.

Since 2008, she has been pastor of Strawberry Plains UMC in the Morristown District.

Maynard, 56, grew up in the Brainerd and Signal Mountain communities, attending Brainerd UMC and Signal Crest UMC. His parents, John and Lou Maynard, still reside on Signal Mountain.

He began his clergy career as a youth worker at Brainerd UMC in 1973. After attending seminary, he was appointed pastor of New Salem UMC on Lookout Mountain, where he served from 1979 to 1984.

Maynard's varied career also has included employment as founding executive director of Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (1994-2002), director of advancement for the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tenn. (2002-2004) and his current appointment as director of development for Holston Conference Camp and Retreat Ministries (2004-present).

NORTH GEORGIA CONFERENCE

In June, the Rev. Herzen Andone will become the superintendent of the Northwest District of the North Georgia Conference, according to the Rev. Mike Watson, bishop.

He replaces the Rev. Mike Cavin, who will become senior pastor of First UMC in Milledgeville.

Andone has been senior pastor of Peachtree City UMC since 2008.

Cavin has served as superintendent of the Northwest District for seven years.

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