Bishop Laura Merrill is announcing the appointment of Rev. Judy Rudd to the position of Assistant to the Bishop, effective July 1, 2025. In addition, she is naming Amy Ezell as Director of Connectional Ministries (DCM), also effective July 1. Rudd and Ezell will work cooperatively to fill the roles held by Rev. Jim Polk, who has faithfully served as Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Connectional Ministries for the past nine years. He is retiring on June 30, 2025.
Bishop Merrill stated, “Jim has been a central pillar in the life and work of this annual conference for nearly a decade, and recently we have shifted some of the focus of his position. This time of transition is a good time to continue that realignment, making it possible for both the Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Connectional Ministries roles to tend to new areas of conference work.”
Rev. Rudd’s role as Assistant to the Bishop will be expanding to include responsibilities in the area of clergy development. On behalf of Bishop Merrill, she will collaborate with the Board of Ordained Ministry, District Committees on Ordained Ministry, the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas, and other organizations to develop and promote effective clergy leadership development programs and systems. She will also relate to clergy groups and appropriate committees and teams to plan and develop a strong system of clergy care and support, including the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Rev. Rudd commented, “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Bishop Merrill and our Arkansas Conference as the Assistant to the Bishop. I am especially thrilled to be a part of Bishop Merrill’s vision to provide our clergy with resources and opportunities to care for their hearts, minds, and souls and to strengthen vital leadership skills for a future filled with hope and promise.”
In the role of Director of Connectional Ministries (DCM), Amy Ezell will work to connect the mission, vision, and resources of the United Methodist Church with local congregations and ministries. She will continue to oversee the areas of conference communication and outreach, and she will coordinate the work of the Leadership Table and other conference teams to cultivate effective ministry partnerships, support lay ministry and discipleship initiatives, and foster church vitality.
Ezell shared, “I am honored and humbled to serve as the next Director of Connectional Ministries for the Arkansas Conference under Bishop Laura Merrill. I see a church alive with the Spirit, connected by grace, and moving boldly into the future that our God is already shaping.”
Rev. Polk added, “It has been one of the great honors of my life to have had the opportunity to serve in this capacity, and I am thrilled that Amy and Judy will be the persons helping Bishop Merrill lead the ARUMC to the next step into God’s future. I know both their faithfulness and ability, and am confident they are the right persons to do this work.”