June / July 2026 Newsletter

“Gradual to All of a Sudden”

I heard a friend share a phrase recently, and it has been on my heart since returning from the Holston Annual Conference at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina: "Gradual to All of a Sudden."

From Sunday, May 31 - Wednesday, June 3, I had the privilege of gathering with clergy and laity from across our conference for worship, learning, fellowship, celebration, and the work of the church. It was a week filled with gratitude, reflection, and unexpected moments that reminded me of God's          faithfulness.

This year marked a very special milestone for me personally. Twenty years ago, in June of 2006, at Lake Junaluska, Bishop James Swanson commissioned me as a Licensed Local Pastor. I remember standing there with excitement, uncertainty, and a heart full of hope. At that time, the United Methodist Church was celebrating 50 years of women's ordination in full Elder connection. As I looked around at the women who had gone before me, I could only dream of one day becoming an Ordained Elder    myself.

This year, the church celebrated 70 years of women's ordination and full Elder connection. As I       processioned into worship on Sunday evening for the Service of Ordination and Commissioning, I found myself overwhelmed with gratitude. Not only was I participating as an Ordained Elder, but I was doing so as a member of the Board of Ordained Ministry. It was one of those moments that felt almost surreal.

The journey from Licensed Local Pastor to Ordained Elder took seventeen years. At times, it has felt like a lifetime. There were classes to complete, papers to write, interviews, evaluations, appointments, joys, challenges, and countless moments of trusting God one step at a time. Looking back, the process felt incredibly gradual. Yet standing in that worship service, it also felt like it happened “all of a      sudden.”

Isn't that often how God works?

We faithfully take the next step, and then the next one after that. We pray, serve, learn, grow, and trust. We wonder if we're making progress at all. Then one day, we look back and realize that God has been weaving together a miracle all along. What seemed gradual suddenly reveals itself as a beautiful      display of God's grace and glory.

This year's conference was made even more meaningful because I was able to share the experience with members of our White Oak family; Paige Walker (our Lay Leader), Sandy Cunningham (Lay   Alternate for the conference), and Mary Alice Thomas. It is always a joy to see Lay and Clergy leaders working together in the life of the church.

One of my proudest moments came during the report from the Congregational Development Team, led by Rev. Dr. Susan Arnold that I serve on as well. I was honored to have Iva and Sheldon attend as guests of the conference and share their testimony on stage about their experience at the Catalyst Academy. They represented White Oak beautifully and spoke with authenticity about what God is  doing in their lives and through our congregation. Watching them share their story reminded me once again that discipleship is not merely something we talk about. It is something we witness God doing in real people and real lives. Watching Iva and Sheldon grow in their disciple’s path, felt familiar in the “gradual to all of a sudden”. Glory!!

As wonderful as the week was, my favorite moment came on Wednesday morning during the Sending Forth Service. There is always something deeply moving about that final gathering when clergy       appointments are fixed and the conference is sent back into ministry. When the Bishop approved the appointments with the strike of her gavel and appointed me back to White Oak for another year, my heart was filled with gratitude.

This appointment will mark my eleventh year serving White Oak United Methodist Church.

What a blessing that is for me and my family!

Over the years, White Oak has become far more than a place I serve. It has become home. Together we have celebrated victories, weathered challenges, grown in faith, welcomed new faces, and sought to follow Christ faithfully. I am deeply grateful for the privilege of walking alongside you as pastor.

As I reflect on twenty years of ministry, I am reminded that God's greatest works often unfold in ways we do not immediately recognize. What feels slow and ordinary today may one day reveal itself as something extraordinary. God's grace is at work in the gradual moments, preparing us for the "all of a sudden" moments that leave us standing in awe.

Thank you for allowing me the joy of serving as your pastor. I look forward with excitement and   gratitude to what God has in store for us in the year ahead.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Amy

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