A Change of Ministry

[Timothy Bonney]

It was publicly announced today that Bishop Julius Trimble is appointing me to be the next Senior Pastor of Grace United Methodist Church of Sioux City, Iowa. Grace is next to the campus of Morningside College a UMC college in Sioux City.

My wife and I will be moving to the Sioux City area sometime near the end of June to take my new charge the last week in June or the first week in July. United Methodists call this the "itinerancy" and its my turn to "itinerate."

[Haruo]

Congratulations! Does this mean your probationary period is over?

[KeithE]

Congratulations! Does this mean your probationary period is over?

What did you do Timothy to be on “probation”.

Best of luck and look out for those Christian Reformed types in that area.

[Timothy Bonney]

Congratulations! Does this mean your probationary period is over?

The term is now "provisional." No, I have one more year of Provisional Membership and, assuming I finish all the class work, my hope is to get my full membership in June of 2013 at conference. You have to be a Provisional Member a minimum of two years and you aren't eligible for Provisional Membership until you've been serving in a church a year. So at minimum, it is a three year process I've been working through.

[Timothy Bonney]

Best of luck and look out for those Christian Reformed types in that area.

Yes, there are plenty of reformed folks up there. But there are I believe more than half a dozen UMC churches in Sioux City as well.

[KeithE]

Congratulations! Does this mean your probationary period is over?

What did you do Timothy to be on “probation”.

I was just kidding you.

Tim B:

The term is now "provisional." No, I have one more year of Provisional Membership and, assuming I finish all the class work, my hope is to get my full membership in June of 2013 at conference. You have to be a Provisional Member a minimum of two years and you aren't eligible for Provisional Membership until you've been serving in a church a year. So at minimum, it is a three year process I've been working through.

My son is going through the same Methodist process since he was ordained a Baptist minister first. He has two years in as Youth Minister and 18 months as Associate Minister at the same church. He just got that “provisional” status (I believe that was the term) a few months ago - he still has to take some Counseling class that he plans to take next summer in Atlanta. He also has some oversight people (forgot the title of that) to follow up with this year.

It seems to be a hard process. I was wondering if you, Timothy, know if it is harder (longer) for those transferring from another ordination (e.g. Baptist) than if it happens right out of Seminary?

[Timothy Bonney]

Keith,

It appears to me that the process is almost identical but I actually didn't have to do a few things a seminary student has to do. They have to write sermons and Bible studies that were waved since the Board of Ordained Ministry had previous sermons of mine to listen to. Also I wasn't expected to be in a ministry peer group that seminarians were in. But other than the requirements are the same.

They make the process thorough but also you have to remember that UMC Elders (pastors) have guaranteed appointment. So you don't just want to give that to anyone who comes along. I personally have a lot of respect for the process because it protects the churches.

[Dave Roberts]

Tim, you go with my congratulations and prayers as you respond to this new ministry opportunity. May God richly use you in this setting.

[Neil Heath]

Delighted to hear the good news, Timothy. I am confident your gifts and dedication will stand you in good stead in this new assignment. Sorry about having to move again, though.

Neil

[Timothy Bonney]

Tim, you go with my congratulations and prayers as you respond to this new ministry opportunity. May God richly use you in this setting.

Thanks.

[Timothy Bonney]

Delighted to hear the good news, Timothy. I am confident your gifts and dedication will stand you in good stead in this new assignment. Sorry about having to move again, though.

Neil

Thanks Neil. But I don't mind the moving. I signed up for that.

[Bruce Gourley]

Best wishes to you, Tim, in your new ministry position.

[Mrs Haruo]

Congratulations! The name "Morningside College" really popped out at me- I have a book I found in my mother's things called "Buggies, Blizzards, and Babies" by Cora Frear Hawkins, published by Iowa State University Press that is a fascinating (to me at least) story about a country doctor and his family who set up practice in 1882 in Salix, then Sloan, and later Sioux City, and Morningside College is the setting for much of the book. I have read it at least twice through. Its very well written.

[Timothy Bonney]

Interesting! That would have been in the very early years of the college. I'm sure I'll get to know Morningside quite well since the church has such a close relationship with the school. This last November Bishop William Willimon spoke at Grace UMC as part of a lectureship at Morningside. The sanctuary has also been used for music programs for the college.

Of course I never look forward to the packing. But on the bright side, my office has been packed since December when the church I currently serve began office renovations. So there are several days of packing I don't have to do/undo.

[Timothy Bonney]

Friends I'd appreciate your prayers as my wife and I house hunt in the Sioux City area at this time we are looking to rent. We've come across a house we are quite interested in just a dozen blocks or so from the church. So I'd appreciate your prayers for guidance as I talk to the landlord today.

Thanks!

[Ed Pettibone]

Praying that it goes well. I am not sure I would know what to look for in renting a house. Our renting has been limited to apartments. We have had three very adequate parsonages and some trustees have been good landlords others a bit problematic.

[Hal Eaton]

Tim -- I certainly don't envy you the moving process; it reminds me of both easy and difficult moves we have made. Here in Virginia a few years ago, the Methodists, in some sort of annual meeting, argued for a couple of days as to whether they would allow (or demand) that churches pay for the moving of one roomful of furniture in the annual relocation of many families. While the churches usually provided a furnished parsonage, they thought that some pastors might have hobbies which required perhaps an additional subsidy.

At one move event, while still in the Navy, we were headed to Okinawa. In packing, every item we picked up provided a determination: should it go with us in our suitcases, be packed in steamer trunks to accompany us on the 12-day voyage, be packed up to be shipped to us (to arrive in 6 -8 weeks), be stored until we returned in three years, be sold, be given away, be consigned to Goodwill, or be thrown away.

The search for housing has been both exciting and worrisome. Marge and I designed and helped built our current home; it was our twenty-first abode in our marriage -- and we've been in this'n for 35 years!

Our explanation for all those moves: A moving target is hard to hit.

Best wishes to you in your new assignment. Close relationship to a school can add blessings . . .

[Timothy Bonney]

Praying that it goes well. I am not sure I would know what to look for in renting a house. Our renting has been limited to apartments. We have had three very adequate parsonages and some trustees have been good landlords others a bit problematic.

Thanks Ed. Your prayers appreciated. I'm still praying for Trudy even if you and I can't keep from arguing.

[Timothy Bonney]

Tim -- I certainly don't envy you the moving process; it reminds me of both easy and difficult moves we have made. Here in Virginia a few years ago, the Methodists, in some sort of annual meeting, argued for a couple of days as to whether they would allow (or demand) that churches pay for the moving of one roomful of furniture in the annual relocation of many families. While the churches usually provided a furnished parsonage, they thought that some pastors might have hobbies which required perhaps an additional subsidy.

Rules differ from Conference to Conference. Iowa doesn't have furnished parsonages largely because the pastors tended not to like the furniture the church wanted to furnish the parsonage with. Sometimes it was a matter of taste, sometimes it was cheap furniture, or sometimes it was just that people wanted to have their own stuff in their own home.

Iowa allows churches, under certain circumstances, not to have a parsonage and pay a housing allowance. But some conferences don't allow for that.

We seem to be getting close to making a deal possibly this week on a rental in Sioux City. So I'm praying and keeping my fingers crossed too!

[Blake]

Tim, I hope you'll take the time to look up Dave Miller (SBC Voices and this forum) when you get there. I grew up in Sioux City in the 90s and have always had fond memories of the town.

[Timothy Bonney]

Tim, I hope you'll take the time to look up Dave Miller (SBC Voices and this forum) when you get there. I grew up in Sioux City in the 90s and have always had fond memories of the town.

I didn't realize that Miller was in Sioux City. That's pretty far north for SBC folk. (Not that I didn't know there are SBCers in the north, I just don't run into many of them.)

[Timothy Bonney]

Today we nailed down a property to rent in Sioux City. So we now have a place to move!

[Dave Roberts]

Today we nailed down a property to rent in Sioux City. So we now have a place to move!

I'm very glad for you!

[Timothy Bonney]

Today we nailed down a property to rent in Sioux City. So we now have a place to move!

I'm very glad for you!

Thanks Dave! This was potentially the most nerve wracking part of the move since we have a deadline we are working with. We managed to find a place in the same neighborhood that the church is in. So I'm pleased with that!

[Ed Pettibone]

Today we nailed down a property to rent in Sioux City. So we now have a place to move!

Ed: Congratulations