(Photo by Matt Brodie)
During the 2017 Annual Conference meeting of the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church:
- 16 people were ordained as elders.
- 1 woman was ordained as a deacon.
- 8 people were commissioned as provisional elders.
- 1 woman was commissioned as a provisional deacon.
- 44 people were licensed as local pastors.
The 16 people ordained as elders were presented by the Rev. Kathryn Hunter, chairperson of the Order of Elders. The Rev. Karen Jones, chairperson of the Order of Deacons, presented the deacon for ordination. All 17 also were presented by the Rev. Fran Elrod, chairperson of the Board of Ordained Ministry, and Conference Lay Leader Barbara Ware.
The Rev. Melton Arant, registrar of the Board of Ordained Ministry, presented the eight people commissioned as provisional elders and the one woman commissioned as a provisional deacon.
“These persons are, by God’s grace, to be ordained or commissioned for set-apart ministry in Christ’s Holy Church,” Bishop L. Jonathan Holston said during the June 5, 2017, Service of Commissioning and Ordination.
“Those authorized by the Church to inquire about them have discerned that they are persons of sound learning and of Christian character, possess the necessary signs of God’s grace, and have demonstrated a profound commitment to serve Jesus Christ.
“Therefore, they believe them to be duly called to serve God.”
Ordained as elders:
- Eugene Aaron Aiken
- Yon Taek Bae
- Lawrence Cantey Jr.
- James Derrick Cattenhead
- Meredith Marie Dark
- Kristin Marie Dollar
- Angela Marie Etheredge-Erwin
- Ernest Winfred Frierson
- Enrique Roberto Gordon
- Daniel Robert Griswold
- Cheryl Wilhelmenia Giles Johnson
- Brandon Craig Lazarus
- Allen Nesmith
- Christine Louise Reeves-Pendergrass
- Tenny Hutchinson Rupnick
- Walter Edward Strawther
Ordained as deacon:
- Kimberly Inez Norbeck Evans
Commissioned as provisional elders:
- Meegian Alicia Gossard
- John David Jordan
- Ann deRosset Kovan
- Susan Biggert Maddox
- Angela Regina Ford Nelson
- Nathan Smalls
- Carole Anne Walters
- Laura Howard Whitt
Commissioned as provisional deacon:
- Meg Bryce Jiunnies
The Rev. Fran Elrod, chairperson of the Board of Ordained Ministry; Conference Lay Leader Barbara Ware; and the Rev. Alfonza Jones Sr., chairperson of the Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members, presented the 44 persons for licensing as local pastors.
“The licensed local pastor is called to share in the ministry of Christ and of the whole Church, and authorized by the bishop to preach and teach the Word of God and to faithfully administer the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion within the congregation,” Rev. Elrod said during the June 5, 2017, Order for the Examination and Licensing of Local Pastors.
“You are hereby authorized to serve as a licensed local pastor in the South Carolina Conference and the congregation to which you are appointed,” Bishop L. Jonathan Holston said. “Take care that you perform these duties faithfully as you are able, the Lord being your helper.”
Licensed as local pastors:
- Robert Arthur Brawn
- Ashley Elaine Buchanan
- Shannon Renee Bullion
- Anthony DéQuan Caldwell
- Troy Ja-Von Cato
- Karl David Coke
- Twana Renee Cruell
- John Clarence Elmore Jr.
- Timothy Espar
- Beth Shannon Faulk
- William Clayton Faulk
- Emil Jerome Finley
- Joseph Brannon Gambrell
- Robert Davin Gordon Jr.
- Javy Rudolph Gwaltney III
- Robert Earl Harper
- Thad Bryant Hinnant II
- Raymond Jefferson
- Mark Raeburn Johnston
- John Timothy Jones Jr.
- Marvin Jones III
- Larry Scott King
- Alston Flynn Lippert
- Dustin Robert Madala
- Steven Moore McNeal
- Robin Diane Miles
- Christopher Mark Payne
- Nicholas Daniel Perez
- Joaquin Enrique Polin
- Ryan Lee Powell
- Kathy Jean Powers
- Yvette Marie Pressley
- Timothy Scott Reeves
- Cheryl Elizabeth Remchuk
- Emma Roderick-Jones
- Leo Wesley Roy
- Rebekah Lee Saveland
- Steven Sylvester Scheid
- Kyu-Seok Shin
- Richard Clark Somerville
- Stephanie Elaine Stafford
- Willie Earl Wade Jr.
- Gerald LeRoy Watford
- John William Woods
