Dr. Douglas R. Fairbanks Jr., a native of Chattanooga and former pastor in area churches, has been appointed as the new senior minister at First-Centenary United Methodist Church. For the past six years he has served as District Superintendent of the Knoxville District of the Holston Conference and before that was senior pastor of Signal Crest United Methodist for five years.
He has served in pastoral ministry for over 40 years.
He is married to Carolyn Brown Fairbanks, whom he met at Hiwassee College while they were students. and both are graduates of UTK. A native of Abingdon, Va., she taught for 30 years and is now retired.
A welcoming reception for the Fairbanks will be this Sunday in Mohney Hall following the 10:45 a.m. worship service.
Dr. Fairbanks received a Master of Divinity degree from The Interdenominational Theological Center/Gammon Theological Seminary, Atlanta, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from The Graduate Theological Foundation, South Bend, Ind. He has received a ceertificate of Church Administratiio from Candler School of Theology and done continuing education work , including at Duke Divinity School and Vanderbilt.
Throughut the years of his ministry he has served on a variety of conference and dstrict boards and committees, including the Council of Finance and Administration, Board of Ordained Ministry, and has served as a member and chairperson of district committees of Ordained Ministry and chaired the Asheville District and Gastonia District committees of evangelism. He has served on the Hiwassee College Board of Trustees aand continues to serve on the board of trustees for Gammon Theological Seminary. He is a U.S. Army and Vietnam veteran and on the Hixson High School Hall of Fame.
Recently the Fairbanks established The Carolyn and Doug Fairbanks Seminary Scholarship through the Holston Conference Foundation with the first scholarship to be awardedd in the fall of 2012.
Dr. Fairbanks will preach at the 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. sanctuary services this Sunday, on "The Centerpiece," with text from Isaiah 65:17; II Corinthians 5:17; and Revelations 21:5. The Rev. Brian Davis will speak at The Vine in the Oak Street Center at 10:45 on "Shot Through the Heart," with text from II Corinthians 6:1-12.
Vacation Bible School, with the theme of "Sky, Everything Is Possible With God," will be June 25-28 from 9:30 a.m. to noon for children four years old through rising fifth grade.