Regional responsibilities
Severe prepares for Jurisdictional meeting
By Holly McCray
His title is: director of Mission and Administration for the South Central Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church.
A much shorter description of David Severe’s job: party planner.
Dr. Severe is responsible for organizing an upcoming regional gathering of United Methodists. It’s a major event that occurs once every four years. About 450 delegates and reserves from eight states, including Oklahoma, will meet in Dallas on July 16-19, 2008.
Plus guests. That’s a big party.
The 2008 Jurisdictional Conference will elect bishops and set budget for three regional ministries. A hospitality event will be part of the conference. But fellowship time is likely the simplest task on Severe’s to-do list.
The "party planner" label is not used here to trivialize the role of this retired pastor from Oklahoma City. Preparation for the conference requires extensive work.
And Severe relishes challenge.
His ministry career includes being senior pastor at a large-membership church and serving as Oklahoma Conference’s executive director of connectional ministries and congregational development. He well knows the administrative skills and dedication required for this new role. A part-time post, it follows his official retirement at the 2006 Oklahoma Annual Conference.
"I retired June 1, and my starting date for this was June 1. I flunked retirement the first day," Severe said, smiling.
"I like planning things; I’ve done that for a long time. I’m excited about getting ready for the Jurisdictional Conference, making sure it runs as smoothly as possible. And I try to involve everybody who needs to be involved. It appears we’ll be electing four bishops."
He is quick to point out that he works with a local arrangements committee in Dallas. His office will correspond with all the delegates—transportation details, certifications, etc.—and will prepare and distribute journals prior to and after the conference.
The delegates will come from 15 annual conferences. They will be chosen in elections this year. Severe previously has been one of the Oklahoma Conference delegates.
"I’ve been a part of that for so many years. It’s kind of nice not to be a delegate, but to be a part of the process," Severe said.
His office is one of only two among the Church’s five jurisdictions centralized operations. Jurisdictions are defined geographically within the United States.
The office for the South Central Jurisdiction is now on the campus of Oklahoma City University.
When he became director, Severe secured approval from the jurisdiction’s oversight board, the Mission Council, to relocate it from Dallas. More than 20 years ago, the office was moved from Oklahoma City to Dallas, he noted.
"This kind of setting doesn’t need staff meetings like you have where you work in specific areas. We communicate with e-mail and by phone," Severe said.
"We were fortunate" to be offered space on the OCU campus, he said. "Everybody here has just been wonderful."
Severe graduated from OCU in 1956. "I wouldn’t have ever thought, when I walked across that stage and graduated, that I would still be here 50 years later. It’s fun to be on the campus again," he said.
His office is on the top floor of the Administration Building, where arched windows create an ambiance "like being in church all day," Severe said.
Beginning in June—after delegate elections—the workload will grow. Severe expects his hours to increase from quarter-time to half-time. Current office workdays are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Laura Patterson is part-time secretary.
Before Severe took the post, both jobs were full-time. He endorses the change.
"It appears that a position less than full-time is appropriate. We took a lot of dollars that were being assigned to this office and shifted them to our ministries. So we were able to help those without having to raise apportionments in the annual conferences," Severe said.
The jurisdictional budget is $1.3 million. That includes support for three ministries: Mount Sequoyah Conference and Retreat Center at Fayetteville, Ark.; Lydia Patterson Institute at El Paso, Texas; and the Wesley Foundation at SMU. Also, $80,000 is put into a reserve fund each year to meet costs for the quadrennial Jurisdictional Conference.
The budget and institutions also are part of Severe’s assignment as director.
He reports on the three ministries to the jurisdiction’s College of Bishops. He helps plan Bishop’s Week, held at Mount Sequoyah. This year, that week will focus on young adults, he noted. The 2006 emphasis was Hispanic ministries.
Severe connects with the jurisdiction’s Episcopacy Committee and the congregational development officers from each of the 15 annual conferences. "Secretary to the Jurisdictional Conference. I carry that title as well," he said.
He accepted an invitation to join a jurisdictional task force to assist local churches damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Severe was elected the team’s secretary.
"The Mission Council is the governing group between the Jurisdictional Conference events. They’re very cooperative, very helpful people who have been a joy to work with," Severe said.
Maggie Ball represents Oklahoma Conference on that council. She is an OCU vice president. Bill Junk, president of the Oklahoma United Methodist Foundation, is jurisdictional treasurer.
Severe said, "My philosophy has always been that God works through organizations as much as He works in any other way. There’s much to be done. This position certainly has things that I’ve been used to doing. I enjoy it."
To contact him by e-mail: scjdirector@okcu.edu.
Did you know:
* Eight states comprise the South Central Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church: Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
* The Jurisdiction encompasses 15 annual conferences, including Oklahoma and Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conferences.
* Delegates from across the Jurisdiction will meet in July 2008 in Dallas. Four new bishops are scheduled to be elected at the meeting.
