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United Methodists appoint pastors for Chattanooga area churches

In this photo taken on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 shows a small crucifix in front of the religious statue depicting the Virgin Mary in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a site of pilgrimage for millions of faithful, 200 kms (125 miles) south of Sarajevo. The Medjugorje statue marks the site where six local youths said they had regularly seen visions of the Virgin Mary in 1981, however the Vatican does not officially recognized the reported apparitions and so when the Pope visits Bosnia later this year, he is not expected to visit the site of Catholic pilgrimage. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)
In this photo taken on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 shows a small crucifix in front of the religious statue depicting the Virgin Mary in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a site of pilgrimage for millions of faithful, 200 kms (125 miles) south of Sarajevo. The Medjugorje statue marks the site where six local youths said they had regularly seen visions of the Virgin Mary in 1981, however the Vatican does not officially recognized the reported apparitions and so when the Pope visits Bosnia later this year, he is not expected to visit the site of Catholic pilgrimage. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) In this photo taken on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 shows a small crucifix in front of the religious statue depicting the Virgin Mary in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a site of pilgrimage for millions of faithful, 200 kms (125 miles) south of Sarajevo. The Medjugorje statue marks the site where six local youths said they had regularly seen visions of the Virgin Mary in 1981, however the Vatican does not officially recognized the reported apparitions and so when the Pope visits Bosnia later this year, he is not expected to visit the site of Catholic pilgrimage. (AP Photo/Amel Emric)

By Staff Report 3 min read

photo The Rev. Will Lauderback
photo The Rev. Amy Nutt
photo The Rev. Eric Rieger
photo The Rev. Clair Sauer

Several of Chattanooga’s largest United Methodist churches received associate pastors last week at the meeting of the denomination’s Holston Conference at Lake Junaluska, N.C.

The new appointments were among those fixed by the Rev. Mary Virginia Taylor, bishop of the Holston Conference, for all 887 churches in the conference, which stretches from Southwestern Virginia to North Georgia.

The Revs. Will Lauderback, Barry Kidwell and Michael Reynolds were appointed to First-Centenary. Lauderback will lead the church’s contemporary Vine service, while Kidwell will staff the Mustard Tree ministry to the homeless and Reynolds will provide counseling services.

Lauderback previously was pastor for a year at McFarland in Rossville, Ga., while Kidwell had been on the staff at Signal Crest on Signal Mountain. Reynolds is a retired military chaplain.

At other large churches, Kristi Banes was appointed associate pastor at Burks in Hixson, Drew McCallie youth minister at Christ in East Brainerd and William Thornton associate pastor at Signal Crest.

Among medium-attendance churches, Natalie Smart was appointed pastor at Dunlap, Lyle White pastor at Holly Avenue in South Pittsburg, Debra Dickerson co-pastor for the Holston Gap Parish, Eric Rieger pastor at Jones Memorial in East Ridge, Ginger Isom pastor at McFarland, Joseph Manis pastor at McKendree in Jasper, Carlton Blackburn III pastor at St. John, Evelyn Harris pastor at St. Luke and St. Marks, Caleb Pitkin at Signal Mountain, Clair Sauer at Wesley Memorial in East Brainerd and Amy Nutt at White Oak.

White, Sauer and Nutt all moved within the district, from White Oak, Grace-Fairview and Burks (associate), respectively. Smart also has previously served as pastor and associate pastor at several churches in the district.

Among small congregations, Willie D. Kitchens Jr. was appointed pastor at Bethlehem-Wiley, James Diehl pastor at First United Methodist in Whitwell, Braxton Cotton as pastor at Grace and Fairview, and J.N. Howard as pastor at Havron’s Chapel.

All four had immediate previous associations at churches in the district. Kitchens was a music leader at Christ, Diehl also had been pastor at Havron’s Chapel, Cotton had been pastor at St. Luke, and Howard, who is retired, had been pastor at Signal Mountain for 13 years.

In the Cleveland District, Elihugh Kilgore Jr. was appointed district superintendent. He comes to the position after serving as pastor of First United Methodist in Pulaski, Va., for 10 years, but his first two appointments out of seminary were in the Cleveland District as pastor at Benton and as associate pastor at Wesley Memorial in Cleveland.

Among large-member churches in the district, David Graybeal was appointed to Keith Memorial in Athens. He comes to Keith from St. Mark in Knoxville, where he had been pastor since 2008, but he previously served as an associate pastor at Keith and as pastor at the Engelwood and Mars Hill churches in the district.

Medium-attendance church appointments went to Charla Sherbakoff as pastor at Allen Memorial in Athens, Corey Miller as pastor at Calhoun and Big Spring, Sean Hayden as pastor at Tasso and Charleston, and Wayne Hickman as pastor at Wesley Memorial in Etowah.

Among small churches, John Oldham was appointed pastor at Benton and Chestuee, Kenneth Scoggins pastor at Chilcutt, Andrew Lay pastor for the Goodfield Circuit, David Whaley pastor at Graysville and New Bethel, Mark Barber pastor at McDonald, Jane Petitt pastor for Mount Olive, Vine Grove and St. Clair, and Jason Humberd pastor at St. Paul’s and Carlock.

The pastor for the Ducktown and Croft Chapel churches has yet to be supplied.