Wesley Wachob has been appointed senior pastor of Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church. Wachob, formerly senior minister in Mobile, Ala., and chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry of the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, came to Glenn on a special appointment. His goal is to more closely connect Glenn Church with the University.

Although his primary duty is to be senior pastor of the 2,000-member congregation, Wachob will teach at the Candler School of Theology, where he has an appointment as adjunct associate professor of New Testament and ministry.

“Wesley is known as an outstanding preacher and learned scholar,” said Susan Henry-Crowe, dean of the chapel. “With his deep love of Emory and respect for what it’s doing in the world, I expect that he will lead the Glenn congregation toward a strong interest in religious dialogue.”

Paul Anderson ’38C, ’40L Emory trustee emeritus and a long-time member of Glenn, echoed that sentiment.

“Everyone is looking for a revitalization and enhancement of the role of Glenn in the Emory setting,” Anderson said. “We’re very pleased with the support from Emory for this appointment and for Emory’s willingness to have Glenn’s United Methodist campus minister placed under the direction of Emory’s dean of the chapel.”

“The United Methodist Church has a tradition of being a strong supporter of education,” Wachob said. “Glenn Church is in a strategic position to be a pilot teaching church. This is a genuine United Methodist congregation that sits on the campus of one of America’s leading research universities. We expect to learn from the University––and that the University will learn from our congregation.”

Wachob said Methodism also has a tradition of being keenly interested in interreligious dialogue and that he expects the Glenn congregation will promote that interest.

“We will participate in Campus Ministries as the United Methodist church on the campus of Emory,” Wachob said. “We see this as part of the broader role of the church in the world. We want to be a servant to the University community.”

Wachob received a bachelor’s degree from Southeastern College (Lakeland, Fla.) in 1973, a master’s of divinity from Candler in 1976 and a doctorate in New Testament studies from Emory in 1993. He has served numerous churches in Alabama and Florida throughout his career and has an extensive scholarly publishing record; his work focuses on the socio-rhetorical aspects of the Epistle of James in the New Testament.

Wachob replaced John Simmons who, after 12 years at Glenn, became district superintendent of the Athens-Elberton (Ga.) district of the United Methodist Church.