If your church

is a Methodist one, chances are you may have received a new minister this

past June.

Methodist ministers

generally are left in one place about four years and then moved to another

church, usually one a little larger than the one they left.

Methodism in

Fayette County received two new ministers this year, the Rev. Mark Outlaw

at Bethany United Methodist Church, whom we featured recently, and the

Rev. Stephen Scholfield, Brooks United Methodist Church.

It is always

a challenge when moving to a new parish to quickly learn its present programs,

those on the drawing board, any anticipated expansions and the names of

charter members, trustees and deacons. Next comes learning the names of

members, which might number from several hundred to several thousand.

Scholfield

was born in Chattanooga and reared in Knoxville, Tenn. He is the son of

a Methodist minister, but chose the field of law for himself.

He is a 1992

graduate of the Emory University School of Law, and worked as a corporate

lawyer in Charleston, W. Va.

Just before

entering law school, he served as a missionary in Bolivia and later served

in Costa Rica. As is the case with many people chosen by God, what Scholfield

thought he wanted to do was perhaps not what God had in mind.

Realizing that

God did indeed have other plans for him, he returned to Emory University,

this time entering its Candler School of Theology.

He first served

at a church near Athens and this is where he met his wife, Debbie. They

have been married for over two years. She is employed by the State Rehabilitation

Services in Griffin.

All Methodist

ministers who are going to new churches must move on the same day. Consequently

the Scholfields moved to Brooks on the third Thursday of June.

Scholfield

quotes as his very favorite Bible verse, John 15: 9-17. In it, Jesus speaks

of His Father who loves Jesus, and Jesus in turn loves all those who abide

in Him. He states that if you keep the commandments, love one another

as He loves you and be friends with others as he befriends you, you will

be full of joy.

Verse 16 states

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you,

that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain

..."

Scholfield

found fruit already growing at Brooks United Methodist Church by way of

programs and missions already in place. He will be working diligently

to nurture that growth so that it will continue long after he has gone.