Dear Members and Friends of the North Ontario United Methodist Church,

It is with heavy hearts that we write to inform you of an announcement made this past Sunday by our District Superintendent, The Reverend Mr. Ted Anderson.

After consultation with our Staff-Parish Relations Committee and our Pastor Stan Scoville, Bishop Marcus Matthews and the Cabinet are encouraging Pastor Stan to take “Family Leave.” The “Family Leave” begins January 1, 2009.  Pastor William E. (Bill) Burdick will serve as our Interim Pastor beginning immediately.  During the time between now and Christmas, Pastor Stan and Pastor Bill will minister together; however, the primary responsibilities of the church will rest with Pastor Bill.  After January 1 Pastor Bill will be the serving pastor.  Both Pastor Stan and North Ontario UMC are expected to have new appointments no later than July 1, 2009.

God has blessed us with the ministry of Stan and the support of his family.  He came to us at a particularly crucial time and has helped us grow together in our love of God and neighbor.  These past years have also been challenging as Holly and Stan have been living apart much of the week and Naomi has been moved back and forth as needs and schedules demanded.  They need some time together for renewal.  Anne Morrow Lindbergh once wrote about “The going-away lump” she felt whenever she had to leave any place that she had made  her home.  It will not be easy to see them leave our church community.

Over the past several years N. Ontario UMC has been supportive of Stan’s ministry among us in many ways.  He has indicated that our care and compassion has been experienced as an extension of God’s love and kindness.  The WNY Conference of the UMC has helped us directly by supplying pastoral leadership during time of rest and renewal for Pastor Stan.  The Conference will continue to offer us financial assistance during this time of transition so that our financial resources will not be strained further.  We are working to see that Pastor Stan will continue to receive part of his salary and all of his pension support.

This has not been an easy decision for any of us but we all feel it is the right decision. With all of the sadness we fell about saying “Good-Bye” to Pastor Stan, Holly and Naomi, we will forever be grateful to them for the loving care they have given us while serving our church.  They will continue to be with us through Christmas.  And then, even though they may be separated from us physically, we will continue to be united by memories shared and treasured moments experienced.  We know that their moving away will not be the end of our mutual affection and respect.

Your Staff-Parish Relations Committee is already working with the District Superintendent regarding the future pastoral leadership of North Ontario United Methodist Church. He will work closely with Bishop Matthews and the Cabinet toward meeting our pastoral leadership needs.

We will have an opportunity to formally say “Good-Bye” and to celebrate the Scoville family’s ministry among us in the not too distant future, probably early January. In the meantime we will have some weeks in which we can continue to share and to pray for each other, the church, and our Bishop and Cabinet.

Grace and Peace,

Reg Higgins, Co-Chair                                            Ed Kushall, Co-Chair

Staff-Parish Relations                                            Staff-Parish Relations