09262019tp new umc pastor from Lapel

0

NEW PALESTINE — When he was a junior at Lapel High School, Anthony Stone was hoping to earn an appointment to West Point. But then that summer he went to church camp.

“I felt something — some call to ministry,” he said.

His instead went to the University of Indianapolis and later Christian Theological Seminary. He served as a youth pastor during college and began pastoring his first church in 2008. He recently became lead pastor of New Palestine United Methodist Church.

Stone is among a number of United Methodist ministers who started new assignments in July. The denomination moves ministers every three years or so, though some have longer tenures for various reasons. Stone was at his previous church for six years.

The state denomination says its appointment process matches a pastor’s gifts with the right congregation and gives a pastor freedom to preach the Gospel “without fear of being ‘fired,’” according to inumc.org.

Stone served congregations in Summitville, Fairmount and Lebanon before going to New Palestine.

“I understand small towns. It’s a great, friendly small town,” he said of his new surroundings. “We’re situated in such an amazing location for all the growth that’s coming. What we need to figure out is how do we continue to add value to people’s lives?”

Stone and his wife, Amy — his high school sweetheart — have five children. He thinks about how to add value into the busy lifestyle of a younger family and also offer hope to people in their 70s and 80s, he said.

He wants the church to continue working with organizations such as a Greenfield soup kitchen and Habitat for Humanity.

“I like people to live out their faith, even locally,” he said. “I see a great sense of people wanting to care for others.”

No posts to display