A New Pastor for 2025
Dear members and friends of Brookings First UMC,
We recently shared the update regarding Pastor Pete’s departure at the end of 2024. With this knowledge, we have been in conversation with our District Superintendent. As the Cabinet has been in prayer and conversation with our Staff Parish Relations committee and drawing on the knowledge of the needs of churches throughout our Conference and gifts of our pastors, they have discerned an appointment of a pastor for Brookings First. Beginning January 1, 2025, Rev. Jen Tyler will be appointed as Senior Pastor at Brookings FUMC. Rev. Tyler currently serves as the Snr Pastor of Watertown First United Methodist Church. Pastor Jen has a Master of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (Evanston IL) and MBS from Dakota Wesleyn University (Mitchell SD), and a BA in Sociology from Simpson College (Indianola, IA). Prior to ordination she served as a United Methodist missionary in South Africa and Washington DC.
Pastor Jen completes her work in Watertown at the end of June. Because of the unique timing of this appointment Pastor Jen will not be starting her appointment with us until January 1, 2025. The cabinet will be using Jen’s gifts in a unique and exciting way between July and December. Beginning July 1st, Pastor Jen will be appointed to the Conference staff as a Regional Strategist for the Brookings area. She will be partnering with our new district Superintendent Brandon Vetter and the UMC leadership of our region to discern and develop a missional response to the growing and diverse population of the Brookings community and surrounding area. We are excited for the ways in which this interim ministry will not only bless and impact our region, but also provide Pastor Jen with a great opportunity to learn about the Brookings mission field. Beyond that it will be an opportunity for Conference leadership to test new models of staffing and partnership within our Conference.
We invite you to be in prayer for Pastor Jen and the Watertown First congregation as well as for our church as we continue to move forward in mission and ministry.
Mark Stratton, Chair, Staff-Parish Relations
Rebecca Trefz, District Superintendent
We recently shared the update regarding Pastor Pete’s departure at the end of 2024. With this knowledge, we have been in conversation with our District Superintendent. As the Cabinet has been in prayer and conversation with our Staff Parish Relations committee and drawing on the knowledge of the needs of churches throughout our Conference and gifts of our pastors, they have discerned an appointment of a pastor for Brookings First. Beginning January 1, 2025, Rev. Jen Tyler will be appointed as Senior Pastor at Brookings FUMC. Rev. Tyler currently serves as the Snr Pastor of Watertown First United Methodist Church. Pastor Jen has a Master of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (Evanston IL) and MBS from Dakota Wesleyn University (Mitchell SD), and a BA in Sociology from Simpson College (Indianola, IA). Prior to ordination she served as a United Methodist missionary in South Africa and Washington DC.
Pastor Jen completes her work in Watertown at the end of June. Because of the unique timing of this appointment Pastor Jen will not be starting her appointment with us until January 1, 2025. The cabinet will be using Jen’s gifts in a unique and exciting way between July and December. Beginning July 1st, Pastor Jen will be appointed to the Conference staff as a Regional Strategist for the Brookings area. She will be partnering with our new district Superintendent Brandon Vetter and the UMC leadership of our region to discern and develop a missional response to the growing and diverse population of the Brookings community and surrounding area. We are excited for the ways in which this interim ministry will not only bless and impact our region, but also provide Pastor Jen with a great opportunity to learn about the Brookings mission field. Beyond that it will be an opportunity for Conference leadership to test new models of staffing and partnership within our Conference.
We invite you to be in prayer for Pastor Jen and the Watertown First congregation as well as for our church as we continue to move forward in mission and ministry.
Mark Stratton, Chair, Staff-Parish Relations
Rebecca Trefz, District Superintendent
Letter to Congregation on Pastoral Care at Brookings FUMC
To the Members and Friends of Brookings First United Methodist Church,
Easter this year saw a wonderful gathering of our congregation. We reflected on the Amazing Marys of the Bible, we paused at the foot of the Cross, and we celebrated our faith in a resurrected Jesus. We continue to believe that God’s Grace holds our church, and our future. This letter is from both Pastor Pete and Mark Stratton – and is sent to promote transparency in the decision making of our church:
Pastor Pete: As you know, I led a mission team to South Africa. This was a time of great blessing both for the Methodist children’s home we worked at and for the team. Since coming back, I have had many people ask me if I have plans to return to my family. The answer is “yes I do”. I have three daughters and a grandson in South Africa, and I long to be with them. My visa to work in the USA expires at the end of this year and I will no longer be able to live and work here. In the light of this, I have been in discussion with our United Methodist District Superintendent, Rev Rebecca Trefz, as well as our Staff Parish Committee, about the best way to make this transition. I would want the transition to a new pastor to be a celebration of the good plans that God has for us all.
Mark Stratton: In light of Pastor Pete’s timeline, we have been in discussion with Rev. Trefz and the Bishop about the future pastoral needs of Brookings First UMC. Although the normal time for appointment changes in the UM system is July 1, we have requested, and the Cabinet agreed, that Pastor Pete serve as our pastor through the end of 2024, with a new senior pastor beginning in 2025. Because of this unique timeline and circumstances, the Dakotas Cabinet is working with us to be proactive in identifying a pastor to be appointed here next year. You as a congregation will be kept informed about this process. Please feel free to talk to me as the Chair of the Staff-Parish committee if you have any questions.
Please pray for our church as we seek to walk in obedience to the Lord.
Pastor Pete
Mark Stratton (Chair, Staff-Parish Relations Committee)
Easter this year saw a wonderful gathering of our congregation. We reflected on the Amazing Marys of the Bible, we paused at the foot of the Cross, and we celebrated our faith in a resurrected Jesus. We continue to believe that God’s Grace holds our church, and our future. This letter is from both Pastor Pete and Mark Stratton – and is sent to promote transparency in the decision making of our church:
Pastor Pete: As you know, I led a mission team to South Africa. This was a time of great blessing both for the Methodist children’s home we worked at and for the team. Since coming back, I have had many people ask me if I have plans to return to my family. The answer is “yes I do”. I have three daughters and a grandson in South Africa, and I long to be with them. My visa to work in the USA expires at the end of this year and I will no longer be able to live and work here. In the light of this, I have been in discussion with our United Methodist District Superintendent, Rev Rebecca Trefz, as well as our Staff Parish Committee, about the best way to make this transition. I would want the transition to a new pastor to be a celebration of the good plans that God has for us all.
Mark Stratton: In light of Pastor Pete’s timeline, we have been in discussion with Rev. Trefz and the Bishop about the future pastoral needs of Brookings First UMC. Although the normal time for appointment changes in the UM system is July 1, we have requested, and the Cabinet agreed, that Pastor Pete serve as our pastor through the end of 2024, with a new senior pastor beginning in 2025. Because of this unique timeline and circumstances, the Dakotas Cabinet is working with us to be proactive in identifying a pastor to be appointed here next year. You as a congregation will be kept informed about this process. Please feel free to talk to me as the Chair of the Staff-Parish committee if you have any questions.
Please pray for our church as we seek to walk in obedience to the Lord.
Pastor Pete
Mark Stratton (Chair, Staff-Parish Relations Committee)