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Daniel R. Gangler, director of communication
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dgangler@inareaumc.org
March 4, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fort Wayne pastor appointed as first African-American Associate Director in the North Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church
New position focuses on recruitment of lay and clergy leaders
INDIANAPOLIS -- Bishop Woodie W. White announces the first appointment of an African American as an associate director in the North Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church.
The Rev. Jack Scott, senior pastor of Faith United Methodist Church in Fort Wayne, has been named Associate Director of Recruitment and Leadership Development for the North Indiana Conference with offices in Marion. He will begin his new position in June.
According to the Rev. Cindy Reynolds, NIC director of ministry, this new position focuses on recruitment of leaders and the life-long equipping of leaders that will help us fulfill our vision to have "a revitalized clergy, an empowered laity and alive congregations focused on mission and ministry."
Reynolds said, "one of the priorities of the North Indiana Conference is transformed leadership. This position will help us focus on this priority along with the need to create a culture of call, so that people hear the voice of God calling them into both ordained and lay ministries."
"This new position is part of the team of North Indiana Conference Council on Ministries staff that will serve to build collaboration and cooperation as the conference seeks to equip and strengthen the local church," said Reynolds.
According to his job description, Scott will have a unique relationship with the conference and the bishop. He will be under direct supervision of the NIC Director of Ministry, in consultation with the conference personnel committee and the executive committee of the NIC Board of Ordained Ministry. He will be a member of the NIC Council on Ministries staff, but will work in cooperation with the Indiana Area Bishop, the NIC cabinet (superintendents), the conference Board of Ordained Ministry and Ministry Development.
Upon his announced appointment, Scott said, "I feel the call to this ministry is valid because my appointment to Faith Church ten years ago brought the need to take valuable leadership training seminars to prepare me to lead a diverse congregation.
"My specialized training has been in the School of Congregational Development, Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st century, African American Pastor's Conferences, and I graduated March 1 from a three-year Leadership Ministry program called Beeson Institute."
Scott has worked two years on the Board of Ordained Ministry and on the North Indiana Conference Strategy Council since its inception.
He told Together he believes his strength is working with people, being a team player and visioning for the future will also assist him in this new position.
When asked what he felt was his greatest challenge, Scott said, "learning the past in preparation to chart the course for a new future." He continued, "meeting the need of recruiting pastors and directing the leadership component of ministry in the conference will take much listening time to pastors and laity on what they deem to be important in their spiritual growth and development.
"This ministry is two-prong: recruitment and leadership development, and will take intense dedication on each segment. For recruitment, the challenge is to create a 'Culture of Call' within the annual conference. It will be a major communication effort to help pastors and laity to begin thinking in a unified manner of how to work together to inform and inspire children, youth and adults to look at the ministry as a profession in a new way," he said.
Scott said he also would like to be sure that clergy and laity receive the best ministry opportunities to reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ. "We all have the same call to make Disciples by equipping the local church for ministry and by providing a connection for ministry beyond the local church," he said.
He said he sees as his task to create a new comprehensive two-to-five year plan for recruitment and leadership development. He said a strong emphasis will be placed on training with a clergy-and-laity team approach to ministry.
Reynolds said, "Scott brings new and unique gifts to this position. He is the first African American to serve as an associate director for North Conference. We are excited about him joining the staff.
Scott is married to Martha Scott, They have three children and 11 grandchildren.
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CONTACT INFORMATION
The Rev. Jack Scott 260-744-4238 260-744-4239
The Rev. Cindy Reynolds 800-783-5138
Bishop Woodie W. White 317-924-1321