Bishop James Swanson has announced the projected appointment of the Rev. Clark Jenkins for leadership of the Morristown District, effective June 24.
Jenkins, age 57, has served as senior pastor at First Broad Street United Methodist Church in Kingsport District since June 2007. He follows the Rev. Mickey Rainwater, now projected for appointment as senior pastor at First Broad Street UMC.
Prior to serving in Holston, Jenkins served in the South Carolina Conference at the following appointments:
- York Circuit -4 churches; York, S.C. (1978-1979)
- Centenary UMC; Charleston, S.C. (1979-1982)
- Johns Island Parish - 3 churches; Johns Island, S.C. (1982-1989)
- Associate Council Director, South Carolina Conference (1989-1991)
- Emmanuel UMC; Sumter, S.C. (1991-1994)
- Mt. Zion UMC; King Street, S.C. (1994-1996)
- Superintendent, Spartanburg District (1996-2004)
- St. Andrews-by-the-Sea UMC; Hilton Head, S.C. (2004-2007)
- First Broad Street UMC, Kingsport, Tenn. (2007-2010)
He graduated from Claflin University with an undergraduate degree in religion and philosophy in 1974. He received a masters degree from Duke Divinity School in 1977 and an honorary doctorate from Claflin in 2009.
Jenkins is a third-generation United Methodist pastor whose father, the late Rev. Edward Jenkins, was his first district superintendent. He grew up in parsonages throughout South Carolina but says Charleston feels most like home "because both my kids were born there."
Jenkins has two adult children and a two-year-old granddaughter, Gabrielle, who lives in Charlotte, N.C. His wife, Carolyn, is a schoolteacher at Sevier Middle School.
A member of the General Board of Church and Society, Jenkins was preparing to fly to Washington, D.C., for a meeting when he received news of his appointment through phone calls from Kingsport District Superintendent David Graves and Bishop James Swanson.
"I was stunned, shocked," Jenkins said. "I was having a great time here and leaving is very difficult for me to do. I always said I wanted to pastor a church like First Broad Street, and it happened."
However, Jenkins said he looks forward to working with "pastors and families" of Morristown District.
"I want to empower them for mission and outreach, because that's my calling. And I really like it that Jubilee Project and Holston Home for Children are in the district."
Eight years as a district superintendent in South Carolina and seven years of ministry in rural Johns Island have helped to prepare him for his next appointment, Jenkins said.
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