For Immediate Release
August 14, 2017
Indianapolis – Bishop Julius C. Trimble is pleased to announce the appointment of the Rev. Mitchell C. Gieselman of Evansville, Ind., to serve as the Superintendent of Southwest District and a member of the Extended Cabinet of the Indiana Conference effective September 1, 2017. He succeeds the Rev. Steve K. Beutler, who transitioned to disability leave after the 2017 Annual Conference, and the Rev. Gary Schaar, Superintendent of the South District and is covering the Southwest District until August 31.
“Mitch has a deep passion for the mission of the church, and he knows the Southwest District and has lived and served in six of the counties within the district,” said Trimble.
“He brings many gifts including administration and a passion for our Wesleyan history and theology. I expect him to be an active encourager of lay leadership and clergy excellence as a new Conference Superintendent.”
As Superintendent of the Southwest District, Gieselman will work with churches as a missional strategist to guide and cast visions for vibrant ministries, as well as encourage clergy and lay people to find new ways to engage in the Conference mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. He will also work with Bishop Trimble and the Extended Cabinet to foster and supply new leaders for churches and communities across Indiana, as well as help achieve our new quadrennial goal of each church being fully missional by 2020.
Gieselman stated, “I am both honored and humbled, as I know others would say in similar circumstances, to have been granted the privilege of serving as a Conference Superintendent for Bishop Trimble.”
He continued, “I have found him to be an inspiring Episcopal leader whose vision for Indiana Methodism I hasten to embrace. I’m eager to join my fellow Extended Cabinet members, whom I hold in the highest esteem, on our common journey over the coming years.”
Gieselman has served churches across the Conference in various capacities as a pastor or staff person since 1974 including New Castle First, Plainfield UMC, Hanover UMC, Mt. Vernon First, and currently, serves as the Senior Pastor of Evansville Aldersgate UMC. “I know the turf. I speak the various languages. I love them all,” said Gieselman of his experience living and serving in six of the eleven Southwest District counties.
Gieselman is a lover of golf, fishing, reading, crossword puzzles, baseball, and camping. He is also an avid follower of John and Charles Wesley’s footsteps all over the world. In his free time, he is also involved in campus life at the University of Evansville and has lectured, taught in adult education courses, and volunteered in numerous capacities, and served as Chapter Counselor for Sigma Phi Epsilon, a social fraternity for male students.
Gieselman received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Evansville in 1978 and Master of Divinity from United Theological Seminary in 1981.
He is married to the Rev. Dr. Tamara K. Gieselman, an Elder in the Indiana Conference, who serves as the Chaplain at the University of Evansville, a United Methodist-related institution. The couple has three adult children: son, Cory Gieselman; and daughter, Dana (Lucious) Wagner who live in Evansville where both work for Old National Bank; and son, Jordan Gieselman, a graphic designer who lives in Bowling Green, Ky. The Gieselmans also have five grandchildren: Sydney, Rhyan, Sophie, Malik, and Hakeem who reside in Evansville.
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