Loyd Mabry Named New Director of the Tennessee Annual Conference Council on Connectional Ministries
Bishop Richard Wills has announced the appointment of the Rev. Loyd E. Mabry to become Director of the Tennessee Annual Conference Council on Connectional Ministries. Mabry, who presently serves as Director of Congregational Development, will assume his new position following the 2007 session of the Tennessee Annual Conference. He replaces the Rev. Randall Ganues who will be retiring at the end of June.
Mabry has served congregations within the Tennessee Annual Conference since 1976 and was District Superintendent of the Columbia District before being called by Bishop Wills to the newly created position in Congregational Development.
Mabry is a strong supporter of local church ministries, and prefers to view the United Methodist Church as an organism rather than an institution. He recently wrote: “Often, we speak of the church in institutional terms. Words like preserve and maintain replace words like growth and movement. Words like budget and the bottom line replace vision and ministry. The church is not a building nor an institution. The church is a community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ. Growth, movement, change, etc., are not frightening words for an organism but they are for an institution.” These words back up his personal commitment when he originally accepted the Congregational Development job. “This job is not about buildings and property,” he stated, ‘I definitely affirm that we must invest in people not properties. Once a faith community is developed, property can be secured. Without passionate spiritual leaders faith communities can not sustain themselves.
Mabry has had special training in both leadership techniques and church revitalization through the General Board of Discipleship, the Beeson Institute, and the School of Congregational Development (Tipp City, Ohio, 2004; Dallas, Texas, 2005; San Diego, 2006). He has also completed conflict resolution training through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. He makes no secret of things he feels need the most emphasis in ministry: “Increasing the effectiveness of local congregations and enabling the revitalization of congregations is a passion of mine.” When he served as District Superintendent he began using Natural Church Development as a vehicle to promote healthy churches. Loyd feels that promoting church health is an excellent way to revitalize congregations.
Mabry is deeply concerned about the current state of the denomination as represented by some national statistics – but he is completely enthusiastic about the future of a Christ driven church. “Did you know,” he asks, “that in 2004 42.1% of the United Methodist Churches in the United States had no one join on confession of faith? That percentage is expected to be even greater in 2005. Within the Tennessee Conference 50.8% of our churches had no one join on confession of faith.”
He continued, “The latest figure I saw reported that the average age of a United Methodist is sixty-one. In the United States 57% of the population is under the age of 40. In Middle Tennessee the average age is 37.”
“One of the exciting aspects of becoming the new Director of Connectional Ministries for the Conference is that I get to build on the solid foundation laid by Randall Ganues. Even as Randall is looking forward to retirement, his biggest concern is the restructuring of the Council to make it responsive to the needs and challenges of 2007.“
Loyd Mabry received a B.S. degree from Lambuth College in Jackson. Tennessee, and his M. Div. from the Candler School of Theology. He is married to Deborah Louise Pearce Mabry and the couple has two children, Matthan and Rachel
Mabry has served congregations within the Tennessee Annual Conference since 1976 and was District Superintendent of the Columbia District before being called by Bishop Wills to the newly created position in Congregational Development.
Mabry is a strong supporter of local church ministries, and prefers to view the United Methodist Church as an organism rather than an institution. He recently wrote: “Often, we speak of the church in institutional terms. Words like preserve and maintain replace words like growth and movement. Words like budget and the bottom line replace vision and ministry. The church is not a building nor an institution. The church is a community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ. Growth, movement, change, etc., are not frightening words for an organism but they are for an institution.” These words back up his personal commitment when he originally accepted the Congregational Development job. “This job is not about buildings and property,” he stated, ‘I definitely affirm that we must invest in people not properties. Once a faith community is developed, property can be secured. Without passionate spiritual leaders faith communities can not sustain themselves.
Mabry has had special training in both leadership techniques and church revitalization through the General Board of Discipleship, the Beeson Institute, and the School of Congregational Development (Tipp City, Ohio, 2004; Dallas, Texas, 2005; San Diego, 2006). He has also completed conflict resolution training through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. He makes no secret of things he feels need the most emphasis in ministry: “Increasing the effectiveness of local congregations and enabling the revitalization of congregations is a passion of mine.” When he served as District Superintendent he began using Natural Church Development as a vehicle to promote healthy churches. Loyd feels that promoting church health is an excellent way to revitalize congregations.
Mabry is deeply concerned about the current state of the denomination as represented by some national statistics – but he is completely enthusiastic about the future of a Christ driven church. “Did you know,” he asks, “that in 2004 42.1% of the United Methodist Churches in the United States had no one join on confession of faith? That percentage is expected to be even greater in 2005. Within the Tennessee Conference 50.8% of our churches had no one join on confession of faith.”
He continued, “The latest figure I saw reported that the average age of a United Methodist is sixty-one. In the United States 57% of the population is under the age of 40. In Middle Tennessee the average age is 37.”
“One of the exciting aspects of becoming the new Director of Connectional Ministries for the Conference is that I get to build on the solid foundation laid by Randall Ganues. Even as Randall is looking forward to retirement, his biggest concern is the restructuring of the Council to make it responsive to the needs and challenges of 2007.“
Loyd Mabry received a B.S. degree from Lambuth College in Jackson. Tennessee, and his M. Div. from the Candler School of Theology. He is married to Deborah Louise Pearce Mabry and the couple has two children, Matthan and Rachel
