Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball and Global Ministries Chair, Judy Raines, are pleased to announce the appointment of Rev. Jim McCune (retired) to the position of West Virginia Conference Disaster Response Coordinator. 

In making the announcement, Bishop Steiner Ball shared, “Jim has been an excellent pastor and leader with the West Virginia Conference for a number of years. I am thrilled that he is willing and will lend his gifts to the ministry of Disaster relief and recovery for the Conference. Jim values all God’s people. He will be faithful to serving Christ and ministering to people of all ages, nations, races and economic condition.”

While in full time ministry, Jim McCune served in local churches in the West Virginia Conference and was also campus pastor at Marshall University and Community Service Coordinator at Potomac State College of WVU.

“Jim’s experience and his gifts for building leadership will be a great blessing to individuals and congregations across the Conference as we prepare for future disasters, and respond to emergencies,” said Bonnie MacDonald, Director of Spiritual Formation. 

Throughout his ministry, Jim has led dozens of work teams to serve in places across the West Virginia Conference, the United States, and in Puerto Rico following natural disasters. 

Under his leadership, Elizabeth Memorial UMC partnered with other churches in the Nine Rivers District to build a home in the Clendenin area following the 2016 flood. 

Judy Raines said, “We are very happy to have Jim join the Global Ministries team. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Disaster Response and I feel he is an answer to prayer.”

With the assistance of the District Disaster Response teams, the Conference Disaster Response Coordinator is responsible for developing and implementing a conference-wide disaster response plan, which includes the effective utilization of the human and material resources of the conference and the local church congregations, to meet the immediate and long-term needs (physical, emotional, and spiritual) of persons impacted by a disaster. 

We welcome Jim to this new work! 

To reach Jim via email: DisasterResponse@wvumc.org or via text: (304) 813-1274.