Today at Girdwood Chapel it will be announced that I, Jim Doepken, have been appointed to Girdwood Chapel United Methodist Church for another year.   This will not come as a surprise to anyone.  That makes 11 times. I have now, officially, lived in Girdwood, Alaska longer than I have lived anywhere else. Heck, I've now lived in Girdwood, Alaska longer than I've lived in any other state. This will be my 14th year in Alaska -- after making a 4-year commitment back in 1997!

For those who don't understand the "Methodist System" -- United Methodist pastors are not "called" by local churches. Instead, they are "sent" by Bishops. So, the church does not form a "search committee" and audition several different clergy for the role that has opened up. Instead, at the time of a pastoral change the Bishop & Superintendent meet with the local church to determine what it is they are looking for in a pastor and then try to discern what available pastor meets those perceived needs in the local congregation. The implicit assumptions here are that the Bishop and Superintendent are removed from some of the internal struggles at the local church and can see with more disinterested eyes what God might be calling to that local setting. Also, it is assumed that the Bishop and Superintendent will have a greater sense of the gifts and graces of available clergy.

Now, in the "old days" there was very little give and take. No clergy spouses worked...so that didn't need to be taken into consideration. There was very little dialogue. And, at Annual Conference, the list of appointments was read and, for some, it was a complete surprise. I've been told that, as the list was read in some conferences, you could hear the screams of clergy and spouses who were distressed to find that they were moving.

It's different now. There is give and take. I think both clergy and churches feel that there is an ongoing dialogue. It doesn't mean everyone's happy all of the time. But I believe most parties feel like their concerns are heard and their hopes and dreams have been listened to. A benefit of the whole system is that, when it's just not a good appointment, it can be reassessed within the year. Every appointment is on a year-by-year basis...something we clergy have to ingrain in our United Methodist Congregations.

That said, last Sunday, on June 6th, 2010 it was read that it is the intention of Bishop Grant Hagiya to appoint me to Girdwood Chapel. This will by my 11th year here. It is not a surprise. And I'll work hard to make it something that's not about me, but about what God can do in our time here over the next year and then beyond.

The above cartoon is from David Hayward over at nakedpastor.   I got it from Michael Krahn. I think it's a good reminder to make sure it's not about me...or at least not about "Bob" as it says in the cartoon.