The Rev. Dr. C. Mark Gooden has been appointed the new senior minister at First-Centenary United Methodist Church, according to the Rev. Mary Virginia Taylor, bishop of the denomination's Holston Conference.
His is one of several changes announced during the 2018 Holston Annual Conference held this week in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.
The 2,400-member First-Centenary is the oldest United Methodist church in Chattanooga. Gooden replaces the Rev. Dr. Doug Fairbanks, who retired. Gooden, like Fairbanks, grew up in Hixson and, like Fairbanks, had previously served as senior minister at Signal Crest UMC on Signal Mountain.
The First-Centenary minister comes from Munsey Memorial UMC in Johnson City, where he served for four years.
Other churches receiving new appointments in the conference's Scenic City District (formerly the Chattanooga District) include:
* Burks (associate) - Beth Sullivan, who comes from Signal Crest, where she was an associate for six years.
* Chapel Hill - Jared Wood, who comes from the George Street and Grant congregations in the Mountain View District.
* Dunlap - Leslie Daniels, who comes from the Lookout Mountain and Paynes Chapel congregations.
* East Ridge - Natalie Smart, who comes from Dunlap UMC, where she was minister for three years. She also has served in the district at Red Bank, the Wesley and Lou's Chapel congregations, Signal Crest, Simpson and Tyner, and in the Hiwassee District (formerly Cleveland) at the Mount Olive and Vine Grove congregations.
* Havron's Chapel-Whitwell-Morganville-Slygo - Michael King, who previously served the Rising Fawn, Morganville and Slygo congregations. He also has served the district at Pleasant Grove.
* Lookout Mountain - Tom Tucker, who comes from Chapel Hill UMC, where he served for 16 years. He previously served the district at the Rising Fawn Circuit, Ridgedale and Middle Valley, and in the Hiwassee District at South Cleveland.
* McFarland - Wayne Cook, who comes from the Sand Mountain and Wildwood churches. He previously served the district at Lookout Mountain.
* Payne's Chapel - Melissa Spiers, who is a local pastor serving her first appointment
* Red Bank - Ken Sauer, who comes from East Ridge UMC, where he served for nine years. He previously served the district at Grace.
* Rising Fawn - Will Garrett.
* St. Elmo - Gary Ihfe, who previously served St. Elmo on a two-point charge with St. Marks.
* St. Marks - Brian Davis, who comes from a post in the conference office. He had previously served as an associate minister for 12 years at First-Centenary.
* Sand Mountain-Wildwood - Reece Fauscett, who had previous served the district at the Middle Valley, Trenton and Morganville and Slygo Valley congregations.
* Stanley - Richard L. Brown.
* Washington Hills - Terryl James.
Churches receiving new appointments in the Hiwassee District include:
* Broad Street, Cleveland (associate) - Betsy Switzer, who comes from First UMC of Rich Creek, Virginia.
* First, Dayton - Willard Akers, who comes from Clapps Chapel in Knoxville. He had previously served the district at Wesley Memorial in Cleveland, and in the Scenic South District at Wauhatchie.
* Goodfield Circuit - David Moore.
* Keith Memorial, Athens (associate) - Andrew Lay, who has been serving the Goodfield, Mount Carmel and Mount Olivet congregations in the district.
* Mars Hill - Austin Meadows, who is a recent graduate of Tennessee Wesleyan University.
* McDonald - Jacob Countiss, who is a seminary student who was licensed as a local pastor this month.
* Piney Grove - Gayle Crabtree, who previously served the Riceville, Mars Hill and Piney Grove congregations in the district.
* Tasso-Charleston - Michael Hubble, who previously served the Oak Grove and Ten Mile congregations, the Unity and Chilcutt congregations, Keith Memorial and Sweetwater in the district, and at Red Bank and as district superintendent in the Scenic South District.