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BY LINDA WORTHINGTON
UMCONNECTION STAFF

Together, the 2011 clergy people retiring from the Baltimore-Washington Conference have officially served 689 years in ministry, which works out to an average of 24.5 years per pastor. Four of this year’s 28 retirees began their service in the 1960s and five have served only in the 2000s.

The Rev. Emora T. Brannan, the longest-serving pastor with 46 years of service, is retiring from Grace UMC in Baltimore where he has been for 10 years. Before that he served 16 years at Lovely Lane UMC. He plans to continue his work on the faculty of the Ecumenical Institute at St. Mary’s Seminary and University and with the conference Commission on Archives & History.

Twenty of the retirees are ordained Elders, and one, the Rev. John Bennett, is a second career ordained Deacon. His retirement from Middletown UMC took place Jan. 1.

This year’s class of retirees has only five women, two are ordained Elders, the others are either provisional members or local pastors, unlike last year when 14 clergy women retired.

The Rev. Carol Yocum has served the longest in the conference, being one of the early women in seminary, and serving since 1973, first for two years in Detroit Conference, then from 1975 in the BWC.

The Rev. Alfreda Wiggins may have a claim to the "most years"; she has served 30 years in the Baltimore-Washington Conference, but had 13 years before that elsewhere. She has been the pastor of John Wesley UMC in Baltimore for 16 years. She’ll travel, shop and cruise for awhile, but will continue to preach and do the work of an evangelist. "God is not through with me yet," she says.

Five of the retirees are local pastors or provisional members. Pastor Fred Iser has served four rural churches for 29 official years, but 35 on his calendar, including Prosperity UMC, which he has pastored the entire time. He first received his license to preach in 1973. "I’ve enjoyed doing what I do," he said, and at 72, he’s ready for his next assignment.

The conference will honor the retirees and celebrate their years of service at a luncheon on May 17.

2011 Retirees

28 clergy, 689 years served
Donald Atkinson, PE, 20
John William Bennett FD, 6.5
Emora T. Brannan, FE, 46
C. Lee Brotemarkle, PL, 13
William Jack Bussard, FL/AM, 30
Ronald L. Collier, FE, 20
Vicki S. Curry, FE, 14
Tunde Davies, FE, 26.5
George DeFord, FE, Guide, 29
John Footen, AM, 22,
Douglas Fox, FE, 37
Richard Gordon Gray Jr., FE, 42
William Richard Harden, FE, 16
Linda Healy, PE, 10
James M. Hunt, FE, 43
Frederick N. Iser, FL, 29
Richard K. McCullough, FE, 43
Robert McKinley III, FE, 6
Michael A.H. McKinney, FE, 24
Walter Middlebrooks, FE, 33
Eloise Newman, PM, 8
Conrad D. Parker, FE, 29.5
Charles E. Slaugh, FL, 9
Holly Slaugh, PL, 2
Kelly S. Sparks, FE, 37.5
Alfreda L. Wiggins, FE, 30
Jeremiah G. Williams, FE, 27
Carol C. Yocum, FE, 38