Centreville United Methodist Church Senior Pastor, Bert Sikkelee, will retire from the ministry (after 43 years) on Wednesday, June 25. This day is set by the United Methodist Annual Conference for all ministers who are changing assignments.
In addition, the Associate Pastor at CUMC, Tim Tate, will be leaving CUMC to become the Pastor at Wellspring United Methodist Church in Williamsburg.
Moving day for the two new ministers assigned to CUMC will be the same day. Bishop Joe E. Pennel Jr. is expected to announce the appointments for the two new ministers at the annual conference in Roanoke June 15-19.
Pennel will name the Rev. Dr. Don Carlton as the Senior Pastor and the Rev. Samantha Jessee as the Associate Pastor at Centreville United Methodist Church.
Carlton has been a minister for 33 years, and is coming from the First United Methodist Church in Charlottesville. Carlton was born in Knoxville, Tenn., but spent most of his childhood and young adult life in Charlotte and Atlanta. He received his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest (where he played some ACC basketball), earned a Master of Divinity at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, and was awarded a Doctor of Ministry from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta.
Jessee grew up in Covington, Va., at Granberry Memorial United Methodist Church. She graduated from Ferrum College in 1998; then taught high school science, along with coaching volleyball in Raleigh before entering seminary. Samantha has served as a general ministry intern, an associate pastor intern, and as a chaplain for a homeless ministry in Atlanta. She graduated from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University with a Master of Divinity on May 12, 2003.
They will begin their duties at CUMC on Thursday, June 26. Carlton's first Sunday in the pulpit at CUMC will be June 29.
Tate's last Sunday in the pulpit at CUMC will be June 15. Sikkelee's last Sunday in the pulpit will be June 22.
A celebration is planned for Saturday, June 14, at 6 p.m. at the church to honor Sikkelee and Tate.