As the NC Conference continues to “right-size” for a future with strength, Bishop Connie Mitchell Shelton announces the following staff appointments and changes, effective July 1, 2024.
Rev. Ernesto Barriguete, Director of Race Equity and Justice Ministries for seven years, will become quarter-time in his current role and begin serving Edgerton United Methodist Church three quarter-time on July 1.
Rev. Rhonda Grant Jordan, Associate Pastor at Jarvis Memorial UMC for eight years, will be appointed Director of Peace Building following the retirement of Rev. Jaye White as Director of Outreach Ministries for nine years. Peace Building will encompass conference mission and outreach initiatives and expand to other ministries, including creation care and gun violence prevention.
We give thanks to God for the leadership of Rev. Molly Shivers who will retire after ten years of service as Director of Conflict Transformation Ministries.
Conflict Transformation Ministries will be facilitated through the District Office rather than a conference staff position. The excellent work, teams, and resources created by Conflict Transformation Ministries will continue to be utilized by the District Superintendents overseeing this ministry.
Rev. Hope Ledbetter-Bock, Associate Pastor at Fuquay-Varina UMC for five years, will be appointed as Associate Director for New Faith Communities and Clergy Life. She will work in a new combined role with the Office of Clergy Life and New Faith Communities to intentionally identify and equip potential candidates for ministry who have the gifts for co-creating new places for new people to gather in communion with Jesus Christ. This role consolidates a previous full-time Associate Director position in the Office of New Faith Communities and a previous full-time Associate Director position in the Office of Clergy Life.