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| King appointed to Springfield Laurel UMC - 1/27/2010 |
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Bishop Gregory V. Palmer has announced the appointment of Rev. Gerald G. King, Sangamon River District superintendent to Springfield Laurel UMC, effective July 1.
King, who has served as a member of the Cabinet since November 1, 2003, will be succeeding Rev. John Hamilton who is retiring after serving at Laurel for 18 years.
 “I am very pleased with the appointment,” Palmer said. “Rev. King has given distinguished service as district superintendent because of a deep sense of grounding in Jesus Christ and in the spiritual disciplines.”
Palmer said that King was one of the most highly connectional pastors he knows “not just organizationally or structurally, but something organic to Christian community.” The bishop added, “we have a well-experienced pastor matched with a church that holds future fruitfulness for both pastor and church.”
King was appointed Okaw River District superintendent in November 2003 and said at that time he looked forward to helping laity to answer their own calls to ministry.
In September 2005, King was appointed superintendent of the newly-configured Sangamon River District when the number of districts within the conference was reduced by two from 12 to 10.
For King, the appointment is a return home after answering the call to ministry as a second career pastor. After spending 10 years in the horticulture and nursery business, King began investigating ordained ministry with Phil Icenogle and Mark Kaley, both of whom were associated with Springfield First UMC. District Superintendent Jack Travelstead was also an encouragement and King credits his counseling elder, Brent Anderson with helping him focus on issues of ministry while a student pastor.
A native of Springfield, King received his undergraduate degree from Knox College in Galesburg and his master’s degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. He received his seminary degree in 1988 and was ordained an elder in the former Central Illinois Conference in 1990. Prior to his appointment to the Cabinet, King’s previous pastorates include Gifford-Pleasant Grove, Tonica, Pesotum-Tolono and Urbana First.
King and his wife Virginia are the parents of a grown son, Matthew.
By Paul Black |
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