Bishop Julius C. Trimble is pleased to announce the selection of two Conference Superintendents for the Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church effective July 1, 2019: Rev. Dr. Saneta Maiko will serve as the Conference Superintendent for the North District and Rev. Dr. Aleze Fulbright will transition to serve as the Conference Superintendent for the Central District.
¶419 of the 2016 Book of Discipline speaks to the specific responsibilities of the District (or Conference) Superintendents. They are to be the “Chief missional strategist(s) of the district,
living out the values of the church, including a mandate for inclusiveness, modeling, teaching, and promoting generous Christian giving.” In addition, they work with the bishop and cabinet in the process of appointment and assignments, serving as an example of spiritual leadership by living a balanced and faithful life.
“Adding leaders who have a love for Christ and His Church to the Appointive Cabinet is both a privilege and responsibility I embrace with joy,” said Bishop Trimble. “These persons have proven to be committed to the vision of missional engagement and relational ministry in Indiana.”
Rev. Dr. Saneta Maiko
Rev. Dr. Saneta Maiko will serve as Conference Superintendent for the North District. He will be replacing the Rev. Larry Whitehead, who will be transitioning to the role of Executive Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Connectional Ministries.
Maiko currently serves as Chaplain for Research and Grants at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis. Over the years, he has served as a Pastor (Methodist Church in Kenya and Zion United Methodist Church), Professor (Purdue University Fort Wayne), Consultant Chaplain (Select Specialty Hospital Fort Wayne), and Founder/Executive Director of Crime Victim Care of Allen County (Amani Family Services).
Maiko holds a Master of Science degree (Clinical Research) from Indiana University School of Medicine, a Master of Science (Leadership & Supervision) from Purdue University College of Engineering, a Doctor of Philosophy (Wesleyan Theology) from Concordia Theological Seminary, a Masters of Sacred Theology (Pastoral Psychology) from Christian Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Divinity (Theology) from St. Paul’s University.
According to Maiko, “I am thankful and humbled to Bishop Trimble and his Cabinet for their discernment and extended call to serve in the Indiana United Methodist Church. This only affirms the words I heard back in 1993 when I was called to join ministry saying, ‘…Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8). I look forward to bringing my leadership skills that engage religious institutions, public health, and learning institutions for the glory of God and the divine transformation of our communities.”
Maiko is married to Beatrice, and they are blessed with four children (Rachael 16, Sarah 9, Elizabeth 7 and Joseph 5). They reside in Indianapolis.
You may share your thoughts, prayers, and well-wishes with Rev. Dr. Saneta Maiko at seekcvsrs374@gmail.com.
Rev. Dr. Aleze Fulbright
In this missional appointment to the Central District, Fulbright brings a vast expertise in mentoring, executive leadership, development, strategic planning, community investment, and will draw on her experience from her current appointment as the Conference Superintendent of the East District, where she has worked with a variety of small to large churches in rural to urban landscapes.
In addition to her leadership in the superintendency, Fulbright also served as the inaugural Director of Leadership Development of the Indiana Conference for four years where she built resources to discover, develop, and deploy laity and clergy to achieve the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Her passion for encouraging, equipping, and empowering people to live in their God purpose through their God-giveness has been demonstrated throughout her leadership in The United Methodist Church.
A second career ministry professional, Fulbright ended her accounting career by caring for communities through the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and answered her call to full-time ministry while serving as the organization’s assistant controller. Prior to joining the Indiana Conference, she served as the associate director for the Center of Leadership Development in the North Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church, Associate Pastor of First United Methodist Church Commerce, and Campus Minister of Wesleyan Campus Ministries at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
“As we live into what it means to be missional in the Indiana Conference, I enjoyed my service in the East District and am humbled for the opportunity to serve with the laity, clergy, and communities of the Central District,” said Fulbright. She continued, “I am looking forward to listening intently, leading fruitfully, serving faithfully, and leveraging our communal and institutional relationships across the Central District, as we engage in life-giving changes for Jesus Christ and strengthening our United Methodist witness.”
Fulbright’s wealth of knowledge includes a Certificate in Nonprofit Executive Leadership from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, a Doctorate of Ministry in Pastoral Leadership from Houston Graduate School of Theology, a Certificate in Executive Leadership from Southern Methodist University, a Master of Divinity from Texas Christian University, and a Bachelor degree in Accounting from Missouri State University. She is also a Certified Coach and Consultant for Birkman International, an Associate Certified Coach Candidate for the International Coaching Federation, is certified in Meditation Skills from the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, and has completed training in Intercultural Development.
Beyond her context of professional ministry, Fulbright serves as a Board Member of Bethany Fellows (bethanyfellows.org) and is a member of the Spiritual Oversight Committee for the Midwestern Region of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.
Please feel free to extend your thoughts, prayers, and well-wishes to Rev. Dr. Aleze Fulbright by connecting with her directly at aleze.fulbright@inumc.org.
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About The Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church
The Indiana Conference is a regional body of The United Methodist Church and provides leadership, resources, and support for more than 1,120 congregations ranging in size from 20 to 8,000 members in 10 districts across the state of Indiana. There are more than 1,000 pastoral appointments to those churches, ministering to more than 200,000 adult members and 40,000 children and youth.