Indianapolis — Bishop Julius C. Trimble is pleased to announce the appointment of the Rev. Lore Blinn Gibson to serve as the Conference Superintendent assigned to the Northwest District. She succeeds the Rev. Chris Newman-Jacobs, who transitioned to disability leave effective March 1, 2018.
Gibson brings a wealth of experience to her new role as a member of the Extended Cabinet. Her professional life began in education, where she taught middle school music, before answering the call to ministry. She notes that her seventh graders showed her how to lead in front of groups and is indebted to them for this life lesson. Gibson also has participated in and notes a “steep learning curve” and “on the job” training in recovery ministry, from her work with Home with Hope serving alongside Tadd Whallon and the Rev. Randy Davis. She has a passion for building community partnerships and equipping churches to engage in recovery ministry, as well as tending to the environment and land around us.
“It is a privilege to be invited by Bishop Trimble to listen, learn, and work together with the people of the Northwest District to 'stir up the gifts of God' already in us for the transformation of our corner of the world,” said Gibson.
Ordained a Deacon in 1991 and an Elder in 1993, Gibson has served a variety of churches throughout the Connection including: Coalbush United Methodist Church as part-time Director of Music; interned at Church of the Abiding Savior (Lutheran), Durham, NC; interned at Midway Circuit and Reidsville Circuit, Western North Carolina Conference; Brookston UMC as lead pastor; Frankfort St. Matthew UMC as associate pastor; Elkhart Trinity UMC as senior associate pastor; and currently serves as the senior pastor of Lafayette Grace UMC.
“Lore leads with enthusiasm and a sense of focus in her ministry,” noted Trimble. "She also has a passion for exploring ways in which we can be more collaborative as we engage the mission and will be a welcomed addition to the Extended Cabinet.”
She has Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Indiana State University and a Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School. Gibson is also enrolled in Coach Training, a six-month training program involving 60 hours of experiential training designed to equip leaders for mentor coaching.
In addition to her professional ministry, Gibson is a piano player and enjoys knitting, crocheting, forestry, poetry, dabbling in art, Duke sports, wondering, and learning new things.
Lore is a native of Logansport, IN and was raised in Pulaski County. She is married to Randy Gibson, Ph.D., who serves as a clinical nurse specialist at Cook Research Inc., teaches philosophy at Ivy Tech, and is an ethics instructor for the Course of Study Extension School. The couple has two children: daughter, Maia who is a Junior at the University of Indianapolis where she is studying English Teaching and serves as the News Editor of the Reflector; and son, James who is a Freshman at Lafayette Jefferson High School and plays on the football team. They also have a dog, Kitty, and credit her as a “sausage on four legs.” Lore’s mother, Charlotte, is a resident of Winamac and a lifelong member of Star City United Methodist Church.
Gibson will begin in her new appointment July 1, 2018. Please note that the Rev. Kate Walker continues to serve as the Interim Conference Superintendent of the Northwest District until June 30, 2018.