LAKELAND — "People say I’m a visionary with a strong emphasis on process," said the Rev. Thom Shafer, pastor of Temple Terrace United Methodist Church in Tampa and newly elected chairman of the Florida Conference Council on Ministries (CCOM). "I come in to help clarify what the vision [of the CCOM] is…then set the system in place to really make it happen."

Shafer was elected chairman Oct. 20 to replace Bill Walker who became the CCOM’s director last June. Since the council meets only once a year the election was held via e-mail and will be affirmed at the group’s January meeting.

Shafer says he has intentionally not been involved in conference committees or ministry teams for more than four years. As a result, he has received some criticism from peers for accepting the council’s nomination, he said.

"People are angry," he said. "They’ve asked me, ‘How can you do that when you haven’t been part of the core?’ "

Shafer admits he has doubts about the council’s role, but says he does have a vision for how staff members can benefit the conference. He sees staff acting as consultants to local churches and enabling them to be more effective in ministry.

"The staff, instead of just doing ministry, should equip and train the laity in the local church to do that ministry, too," he said. "We have gifted people so busy doing the practical part of the job, they’re too busy to teach churches how to do ministry."

Walker said he is excited about working with Shafer because he is an outsider.

"I think the chairperson needs to be from the outside," he said. "Otherwise, you end up with a group that only talks to each other. How do you grow and bring about change if you’re only a small group that talks to each other?"

But Walker says Shafer also brings other qualifications to the job. "I believe he brings passion," Walker said. "He has a rich history in the ministry, and he’s very articulate about the organization of and his passion for the local church."

He also brings a youthful perspective to the council, according to Walker, as well as personal experience growing up in the Hispanic culture.

Shafer was born in Cuba while his parents, the Rev. Carl and Bette Shafer, were missionaries there. They also spent three years in Uruguay.

Although Shafer is not sure what either his role or the CCOM’s in the conference will be, he hopes time spent with the staff at a November retreat will help clarify that.