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This is the 11th and final installment of a yearlong series that follows newly appointed United Methodist clergy as they begin their ministry.
A UMNS Report
By Kathy L. Gilbert*
7:00 A.M. EDT July 1, 2011 | NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)
Members of New Bethel and Centenary United Methodist churches gather to
say farewell to their pastor, the Rev. Brian Rossbert. UMNS photos by
Kathy Gilbert.
View in Photo Gallery
In the upper right corner of the bright yellow construction paper,
Hannah drew a picture of a man in a hospital gown with angel wings.
Above his head are the words, “My Dad Saying Hi! Heaven is a great
place!”
That picture is one of the last things the Rev. Brian Rossbert packs
as he clears his office of personal books, certificates and photos, in
preparation for the next chapter of his life at another church. It will
be a reminder of some of the significant lessons he learned while in his
first pastoral appointment.
Many United Methodist pastors in the summer say goodbye to one congregation and prepare for a new start in another church in their annual (regional) conference.
In The United Methodist Church it is called itineration, a practice begun by John Wesley, the denomination’s founder.
Rossbert is looking forward to his move but also feels a bit sad about leaving behind two congregations he has grown to love.
“The people here I will love forever,” he said. “And, I guess, I have already been invited to homecoming.”
New Bethel, in rural Cheatham County, Tenn., and Centenary United
Methodist in west Davidson County, are accustomed to sharing a pastor
and having that pastor only for one or two years. They look forward to
bringing former pastors back for homecoming Sunday.
The Rev. Brian and Laura Rossbert unwrap gifts from
the congregations they will leave this summer. A UMNS
photo by Kathy Gilbert.
View in Photo Gallery
“I couldn’t have asked for a better place to have started my official
ministry,” Rossbert said. “I think New Bethel really thinks of
themselves as a place that makes or breaks pastors. I think in some
sense it is true, that it is a great learning ground. You have to be
creative, you have to be adventurous, you have to be willing to try
things and you have to be willing to bail — those are hard lessons to
learn but good ones.”
Eight-year-old Hannah’s drawing was about one of those hard lessons.
Rossbert had just begun at Centenary when a longtime church member —
Hannah’s great-grandmother — died. Her funeral was on a Monday, and by
Friday her grandson, Hannah’s dad, also died.
Rossbert officiated at both funerals.
“I think they came to church the next Sunday and she gave me that
drawing. It was a traumatic situation for everyone. It was a hard thing,
but kind of a beautiful thing in the end.”
He said it has been great to see how each member of the two
congregations has grown in concern for the community and in
understanding of how God is using each individual.
Both churches are more involved with serving their homeless neighbors
through the West Nashville United Methodist Church and struggled
together with a flood that left many members of New Bethel with nothing,
Rossbert said.
“We have had wonderful opportunities to worship together, to share
and just be authentic together. We realized we don’t have to be
perfect,” he said. “We all figured that out in our own ways and sort of
owned up to the fact that we still need God’s grace. That has been a lot
of fun to be a part of, especially in my first pastorate.”
Having to say goodbye
Charlie and Lila Powell will never forget Rossbert because he was
also there for them when Lila’s mother passed away. Although he’s a
Southern Baptist, Charlie plays the organ at Centenary.
Rossbert came to Centenary in July 2009 and “Nana” died that October.
“In those few months, he visited her more times than the previous
pastors put together,” Charlie Powell said.
The Rev. Brian Rossbert packs his personal belongings to
move to a new appointment. A UMNS photo by Kathy Gilbert.
View in Photo Gallery
“The morning that Mother passed away was a Sunday morning. Charlie
called to let Brian know he wouldn’t be there because Momma had died,”
Lila Powell said. “Brian and (his wife) Laura were both here within 15
minutes, and they stayed with us until the funeral directors came and
got her and carried her out of the house. He stayed here with us. It
meant everything to us.”
The Powells hosted a farewell “dessert party” for the Rossberts in
mid-June, and members of both churches came to wish them well.
Sandra Kingdon, a longtime member of Centenary, said church
membership has dwindled to around 15 to 20 people in the pews on most
Sundays. It was much more active when she was young, she said.
“Brian is exceptional. The first time I heard him with the first
message, I told him he wouldn’t be at our church for very long,” she
said. “He is so dedicated. I definitely believe he needs to be in a
larger church.”
Terry Kimbro, a member of New Bethel, said he has been a “breath of fresh air — Christianity comes out of his pores.”
She agrees that the two rural churches are “training” churches for young pastors.
“People coming and going doesn’t bother me; I have been a Methodist since I was born.”
Judy Rhodes, a member of the community but not a member of either
church, called Rossbert a community-minded man who loves people. “Nobody
wants to see them go, but everyone wants them to do well.”
Not having to say goodbye
The Rev. Mara Bailey, reflecting on her first year as campus minister at Nebraska Wesleyan University, said a highlight of her year was also realizing how much her community has grown and experienced.
“It was a great feeling realizing how well I have gotten to know these students in such a short amount of time,” she said.
Unlike Rossbert, Bailey will be continuing in her current appointment.
The Rev. Mara Bailey baptizes the son
of her best friends from high school.
A UMNS photo by the Rev. John Bailey.
One of her greatest challenges has been being the only staff person on campus responsible for her ministry.
“I have a lot of advocates and support,” she said. Being on her own
was especially challenging “because it forced me to take a lot more
ownership in my work, and to step up and claim the authority in making
decisions related to my position and ministry.
“I think I have settled in since I have gotten to know many of my
colleagues on campus and have a good understanding of the flow of the
academic year. I most look forward to building on the excitement I felt
by first-year students at the end of their first year on campus, as they
thought about how they can welcome in the incoming class of first-years
in the fall.”
Bailey is happy to be continuing her call to campus ministry, but
admits the realities of the United Methodist itinerant system require
personal flexibility.
“It is certainly strange always knowing that although I was both
appointed by the bishop and hired by the school, at any point the
conference could call me into local church ministry and out of campus
ministry,” she said.
Leaving or staying, Rossbert said his clergy mentor gave him the best
advice for how to be an effective pastor: Just love the people.
“That’s our most basic job description as pastor.”
*Gilbert is a multimedia reporter for the young adult content team at United Methodist Communications, Nashville, Tenn.
News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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