2026 Appointments and Retirements

The following are the clergy appointments, listed by month of announcement. All appointments are effective July 1, 2026 (unless otherwise noted).

January Announcements

• Norval I. Brown  (Full Elder) to Retirement. Norval was ordained a Probationary Elder in 1977 and became a Full Elder in 1981. During his ministry, Norval served Chicago: St. Mark; Chicago: West Englewood; Maywood: Neighborhood; Chicago: Southlawn; Chicago: Gammon Memorial; Aurora: Fourth Street; Homewood: St. Andrew; Southern District Campus Ministry; Carol Stream: St. Andrew (Interim); Park Forest: Grace United Protestant, Thornton; Deerfield: Christ; Cary; Cary/Fox River Grove: Community. 
• Eun-Hye Choi (Full Elder) to Retirement. Eun-Hye was ordained a Probationary Elder in 1998 and became a Full Elder in 2000.  During her ministry, Eun-Hye served Palatine: First (Associate); West Dundee: First; Chicago: Morgan Park; Plainfield; Glenview: Glenview. 
• Sandra E. Harbour (Full Elder) to Retirement. Sandra was ordained a Probationary Elder in 1996 and became a Full Elder in 1988. During her ministry, Sandra served Morris: First (Associate); Prophetstown; Gulfside Regional Hospice (Chaplain); Moffitt Cancer Center (Tampa, FL).  Effective: February 1, 2026
• Donna Hoffman (Retired Licensed Local Pastor) returning to Retirement from Elizabeth and Hanover UMCs.
• Adrienne Ann Iseman (Full Deacon) to Retirement. Adrienne was consecrated as a Diaconal Minister  in 1989, was certified in Christian Education in 1991, and became a Full Deacon in 1998. During her ministry, Adrienne served Naperville: Grace; Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary; Glen Ellyn: First; Healing Flow Yoga & Retreat Ministries, Naperville. Effective: March 1, 2026
• Barbara Javore (Full Deacon) to Retirement. Barbara was ordained a Probationary Elder in 1999 and became a Full Elder in 2004. During her ministry, Barbara served Glencoe: North Shore (Director of Christian Education). 
• Brian LeBaron (Retired Associate Member) returning to Retirement from Freeport: Harmony (interim).
• Emma Lozano (Licensed Local Pastor) to Retirement. During her ministry, Emma served Chicago: Lincoln; Chicago: Adalberto Memorial. 
• Barbara J. Morgan (Full Elder) to Retirement. Barbara was ordained a Probationary Elder in 2005 (Recognition of Orders from American Baptist) and became a Full Elder in 2008. During her ministry, Barbara served Chicago: St. Mark; Chicago: New Gresham; Evanston: Sherman; Waukegan: First. 
• Grace Oh (Full Elder) to Retirement. Grace was ordained a Probationary Elder in 2014 and became a Full Elder in 2016.  During her ministry, Grace served Ottawa: Evangelical; Chicago: Englewood-Rust; Thornton; Hinsdale. 
• Irene Taylor (Retired Elder) returning to Retirement from Ingleside: Joyful Spirit.
• Richard C. Wisdom (Full Elder) to Retirement. Richard was ordained a Probationary Elder in 2000 and became a Full Elder in 2002. During his ministry, Richard served Kingston: Herbert; Rockford: Christ (Associate and Senior Pastor); DeKalb District Superintendent; Aurora District Superintendent; Plainfield: First. 
• George Woosnam (Retired Elder) returning to Retirement from Lanark UMC.
• Mary Zajac  (Retired Elder) returning to Retirement from Wheaton: Gary (interim).
• Rachel Grover (District Superintendent Supply) to Germany Valley (1/4, Prairie North) while continuing to serve Davis: Calvary (1/4, Prairie North). Effective February 1, 2026.
• Mark Harkness (Full Elder) to Dixon: First (Prairie South) from Cherry Valley (3/4, Prairie North) and New Milford (1/4, Prairie North). Mark follows Zaki Zaki. 

February Announcements

• Eric Blachford (Full Elder) to Plainfield (Prairie Central) from Naperville, Grace, Associate Pastor (Prairie Central). Eric follows Dick Wisdom who is retiring.
• Kurt Alan Gamlin (Full Elder) to Retirement. Kurt was ordained a Probationary Elder in 1979  and became a Full Elder in 1982.  During his ministry, Kurt served Reynolds, Hinsdale (Associate), Antioch, Wheaton: Aldersgate, Woodstock: First, McHenry First. 
• Charles Yoon (Full Elder) to Cary (Prairie Central) from Flossmoor: South Suburban (Lake South). Charles follows Norval Brown, who is retiring.
• Chan Ik Choi (Full Elder) to voluntary leave of absence (family leave) from Carol Stream: St. Andrew (Prairie Central)
• Kelli Knight (Full Elder) to Central UMC, Albuquerque, New Mexico, NMAC under par. 346.1e. Senior Pastor. 
• Steve Good (Full Elder) to retirement from Oswego: Good Shepherd (Prairie Central). Effective September 30, 2026. Steve was ordained Probationary Elder in 1987 and became full elder in 1989. During his ministry, Steve served at Geneva (associate), Elgin: First  (associate), Sugar Grove, Channahon and Oswego: Good Shepherd.
• Natarsha Gardner (Licensed Local Pastor) to Lanark (Prairie North) from Freeport: First (Prairie North). Natarsha follows George Woosnam, who returns to retirement and is currently serving as interim.
• Rosa Lee (Full Elder) to Glenview (Lake North) from Dixon: Grace (Prairie South). Rosa follows Eun-Hye Choi who is retiring. 

March Announcements

• Sam Stanes Stephen Raj (Licensed Local Pastor) to Rockford: Brooke Road (Prairie North) ½ time and a newly created position of Pastor of Justice & Social Witness of the Rockford Urban Ministries (Prairie North) ½ time, from Chicago: The Redeemer's of Calvary (Lake North). At Rockford: Brooke Road, Sam follows Audrey Rochet, whose appointment will be announced later. 
• Paul Lee (Full Elder) to Evanston First (Lake North) from Sterling: Wesley (Prairie South). Paul follows Grace Imathiu, whose appointment will be announced later. 
• Jonathan Crail (Full Elder) to Wheaton: Gary (Prairie Central) from DeKalb: First (Prairie South). Jonathan follows Mary Zajac, who is retired and serving as interim. 
• Joey Garcea (Full Elder) to Freeport: First (Prairie North) from Leon and Prophetstown (Prairie South), Joey follows J. Natarsha Gardner who is appointed to Lanark.
• Tiffany Garcea (Full Elder) to Freeport: Harmony (Prairie North) from Erie (Prairie South). Tiffany follows Brian LeBaron (Interim) who is returning to retirement.
• D. Josiah Montgomery (Provisional Elder) to Waukegan First (Lake North) from Hartzell (Lake South). Josiah follows Barbara Morgan who is retiring.
• Mi Sook Yoo (Full Elder) to Good Samaritan UMC in Cupertino, CA (California-Nevada Annual Conference) from Algonquin: Christ (Prairie Central).
• Hyewon “Sophia” Carno (Full Elder) to Naperville: Grace UMC (Associate) (Prairie Central) from Chicago: First UMC (Lake South). Hyewon "Sophia" follows Eric Blachford, who is appointed to Plainfield: First.
• Alex Lee (Licensed Local Pastor) to Cherry Valley and New Milford UMC’s (Prairie North) from Harvard UMC (Prairie North). Alex follows Mark Harkness who is appointed to Dixon: First UMC.
• Howard “Doc” Newcomb (Full Elder) to DeKalb: First UMC (Prairie South) from Marengo UMC (Prairie North). Howard “Doc” follows Jonathan Crail, who is appointed to Wheaton: Gary.
• Satya Sudhakar (Full Elder) to Algonquin: Christ (Prairie Central) from Ottawa: Epworth (Prairie South). Satya follows Mi-Sook Yoo who is appointed to Cupertino, California: Good Samaritan (California-Nevada Conference).
• Solomon Sudhakar (Full Elder) to Carol Stream: St. Andrew (Prairie Central) from LaSalle: Grace (Prairie South). Solomon follows Chan Ik Choi, who is appointed to Voluntary Leave of Absence (Family Leave). 

April Announcements

• Mary Lou Eubanks (Licensed Local Pastor) to retirement from extension ministry. Effective May 1, 2026. Mary Lou was licensed Local Pastor in 2015. During her ministry she served as chaplain at ABLC Wesley Wellness and Kindred Hospital, Sycamore, IL. 
• Bromleigh McCleneghan (Full Elder) to attend school from extension ministry. 
• Ronald Allan Balang (Full Elder, ¶346.1) to Leon and Prophetstown (Prairie South) from the Philippines Annual Conference. Ronald Allan follows Joey Garcea who is appointed to Freeport: First. 
• Norval I. Brown (Retiring Elder) to Lansing: First (Lake South) from Cary (Prairie Central). Norval follows G. Morris Jarkloh, Jr., who is appointed to Chicago: First at the Chicago Temple, Associate. 
• Dexter Ceballos (Full Elder, ¶346.1) to Erie (Prairie South) from the Southern Tagalog Provisional Philippines Annual Conference East, Global Missionary to Mongolia. Dexter follows Tiffany Garcea who is appointed to Freeport: Harmony. 
• Jim Fu (Full Elder) to Marengo (Prairie North) from Elmhurst: First and Elmhurst: Christ (Prairie Central). Jim follows Doc Newcomb who is appointed to Dekalb: First. 
• Grace Imathiu (Full Elder, ¶346.1) to Napa UMC in California-Nevada Conference from Evanston: First (Lake North).
• Sejoon Jang (Full Elder) to Elk Grove UMC in California-Nevada Conference from Rockford: Grace (Prairie North). 
• G. Morris Jarkloh, Jr. (Full Elder) to Chicago: First at the Chicago Temple, Associate (Lake South) from Lansing: First (Lake South). G. Morris follows Sophia Carno who is appointed to Naperville: Grace, Associate. 
• Matthew Krings (Full Elder) to Sterling: Wesley (Prairie South) from Chicago: Renewed Hope (Lake North). Matthew follows Paul Lee who is appointed to Evanston: First. 
• Min Woo (Full Elder) to Zion: Memorial and North Prairie (Lake North) from North Northfield (Lake North). Min Woo follows Kwadwo Ntim and Miguel Nieves who are both retired. 
• Jeff Brace (Licensed Local Pastor) to Milton UMC in Wisconsin Conference from Mendota: Zion (Prairie South).
• Jacqueline Ford (Full Elder) to Chicago: Hartzell Memorial (Lake South) from Ingleside Whitfield (Lake South). Jacqueline follows D. Josiah Montgomery who is appointed to Waukegan: First.
• Chanje “CJ” Woo (Licensed Local Pastor) to Rockford: Grace (Prairie North) from Arlington Heights: Church of the Incarnation (Lake North) and Northbrook: Vision (Lake North). CJ follows Sejoon Jang who is appointed to the California-Nevada Conference.
• Eunbae Doh (Full Elder) to Oswego: Good Shepherd (Prairie Central) from Naperville: Wesley (Prairie Central). Eun Bae follows Steve Good who is appointed to retirement. Effective October 1, 2026.
• Mike Jones (Retired Elder) to Dixon: Grace (Prairie South). Mike follows Rosa Lee who is appointed to Glenview: Glenview.
• Barbara Morgan (Retiring Elder) to Chicago: South Shore (Lake South) from Waukegan: First (Lake South). Barbara follows Marcus Tabb who is appointed to Chicago: Ingleside Whitfield.
• Marcus Tabb (Full Elder) to Chicago: Ingleside Whitfield (Lake South) from Chicago: South Shore (Lake South). Marcus follows Jacqueline Ford who is appointed to Chicago: Hartzell Memorial.