tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8531477.post8950222054866353799..comments2023-09-28T08:27:24.369-05:00Comments on The Truth As Best I Know It: Response to Tennessean ArticleAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07725829998119648772noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8531477.post-41157551333165624532009-12-03T15:03:21.047-06:002009-12-03T15:03:21.047-06:00Something sesperately needs to be done in Tennesse...Something sesperately needs to be done in Tennessee. The present system is corrupt (thank you Bishop W.). All the current system is doing is "passing the trash!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8531477.post-37909417398019872102009-11-17T11:28:11.190-06:002009-11-17T11:28:11.190-06:00As I have stated on my blog, multiple annual confe...As I have stated on <a href="http://ajscom.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/where-are-the-young-clergy/" rel="nofollow">my blog</a>, multiple annual conferences are having a hard time finding appointments for pastors. While not all pastors fall under the perceived sense of guarantee, the reluctance of bishops and cabinets to decline appointments (and of board of ordained ministries to remove clergy from good standing)leads to the too-many-pastors-for-too-few-churches dynamic. Other factors I mention include the movement of elders out of extension ministries and back into the appointment system and the lack of other out-side-the-box thinking in appointment making.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8531477.post-91504003039035565962009-11-17T10:21:33.475-06:002009-11-17T10:21:33.475-06:00Oh, and one more thought: John's rebuttal give...Oh, and one more thought: John's rebuttal gives food for thought. Maybe it's just the elders' appointments that are drying up. That is possible isn't it?Craig L. Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08351091412370400350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8531477.post-14071732043647372822009-11-17T10:18:33.775-06:002009-11-17T10:18:33.775-06:00Just to let you know: I live & serve in Michig...Just to let you know: I live & serve in Michigan.<br /><br />It's nice to have a supportive leader.Craig L. Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08351091412370400350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8531477.post-71181767087444279692009-11-16T22:23:53.063-06:002009-11-16T22:23:53.063-06:00Yes, thanks for that addition, Gary. I apologize t...Yes, thanks for that addition, Gary. I apologize that I left out Associate Members. They are also valued and serve faithfully.<br /><br />Craig, I can't really comment on Bishop Wills other than to say that he's been very supportive of my congregation during the past few difficult months since the fire.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07725829998119648772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8531477.post-30082378705826812442009-11-16T20:23:43.729-06:002009-11-16T20:23:43.729-06:00There is one other category of clergy in the Unite...There is one other category of clergy in the United Methodist system that you inadvertently left out, probably because we are so few in number, Associate Members of Annual Conferences. We are local pastors who have completed additional work required by the Disciple, plus work required by the Board of Ordained Ministry, and agreed to be itinerant. We also have guaranteed appointments, like elders.Pastor Gary Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309522006959586019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8531477.post-23068582707250575422009-11-16T13:52:43.361-06:002009-11-16T13:52:43.361-06:00I'd like a little more analysis on the issue o...I'd like a little more analysis on the issue of clergy v. jobs.<br /><br />Local pastors do not take spots that elders could serve - at least not in Indiana. Local pastors take pulpits that could not support an elder in terms of minimum salary and benefits.<br /><br />The reason local pastors outnumber elders in many places is because we have so many small churches.<br /><br />To decide where the jobs/clergy fault line is, you have to start by looking at how many charges there are in an annual conference that can support an elder. That will be the starting point.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8531477.post-9559602195718832472009-11-16T13:13:00.521-06:002009-11-16T13:13:00.521-06:00Thanks, Matt. this is an excellent correction to t...Thanks, Matt. this is an excellent correction to the article. I was attracted to the article because of (what I perceive to be) the abusive behavior of our current bishop in relation to the clergy under appointment. One theoretical expanation would be: maybe there are too many clergy, the denomination is declining too quickly in this state, and he needs to get rid of a few.<br /><br />So my initial response was to give the "too many clergy, too few jobs"concept more credence than it deserved.<br /><br />Thanks for setting the record straight.Craig L. Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08351091412370400350noreply@blogger.com