Bethann Black is new Methodist pastor
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
Pastor Bethann Black began ministering July 3 at the Florence and Aulne United Methodist churches.
The single woman grew up on a farm in northern Maine. Her father raises potatoes and oats.
Pastor Black was born and raised in the United Methodist Church and has been a member since age 14.
She graduated from a local university with a degree in communications and a minor in math.
She later obtained a master's degree in business.
It was while working as a job counselor for dislocated workers that she "received a call" to the ministry.
She said it happened one night in February 1998 as she was going to bed. She heard the words, "Be a minister!"
She said it was a command, a shout, and a whisper all at the same time.
Ironically, her father and sister had felt called to the ministry in the past but had not pursued it, whereas she herself had never seriously considered it.
Many questions went through her mind.
"Why me? How can I do it? How can I go back to school again? What is involved?"
After debating the issue a week or so, she decided she had only one choice and that was to say yes.
The next fall, she entered Bangor Theological Seminary, and by the following July was serving a church.
After finishing seminary, she served two churches in the area for three years.
"I always thought I wanted to live in the city," she said, "but I found out I was looking for something new and different."
She applied to United Methodist conferences throughout the U.S. and gave several phone interviews.
She received seven offers but settled on face-to-face interviews in Kansas and South Dakota, after which she decided to come to Kansas.
"I had a sense that this is where God was calling me," she said. "He was calling me to Kansas."
She was assigned to the Aulne and Florence churches and began her ministry July 3.
Northern Maine is quite rural, so Black feels at home living in a rural area. She said she enjoys driving through the countryside and watching things grow.
"I'm overwhelmed at how friendly and welcoming everybody has been," she said.
Her first month was extremely busy, including vacation Bible school at the two churches and funerals.
She likes interacting with members of her congregations, sharing her faith, and helping people grow closer to God. She also enjoys working with teen-agers.
She believes a key part of her ministry is to help the church reach out to the entire community.
As an example, she noted the Florence church recently received funding to buy school supplies for 20 needy children.
Black has no church secretary but is assisted by a lot of volunteers. Her two congregations have a combined average attendance of approximately 140.
