The Council Grove/Dunlap United Methodist Church and Simpson United Methodist Church in Alta Vista have welcomed a new pastor, Taud Boatman, and his wife, Buffy, to the Flint Hills.
Boatman, whose first name is pronounced “Todd,” began his new appointment July 1. His first Sunday in the pulpit was July 5.
Taud and Buffy are both Kansans and consider Topeka their hometown. Buffy was born and raised there, and Taud said Topeka became home for him during his high school years. The couple most recently came from Wichita and previously served in Parsons.
Boatman brings 25 years of fulltime pastoral leadership in the United Methodist Church, with experience in both larger congregations and smaller rural churches. He said he takes seriously the responsibility of serving the entire congregation and community.
“When I’m appointed to a church, whether that’s large or small, whether that’s more traditional or more progressive, I am appointed to be the pastor for that entire community and for that entire church,” Boatman said. “Whether or not we agree fully, I’m always going to be everyone’s pastor here.”
In the United Methodist Church, pastors are appointed annually through the Great Plains Conference, which includes Kansas and Nebraska. Boatman said appointments are made by the bishop, with input from the cabinet and district superintendents. Some pastors may remain at one church for many years, while others may be moved after a shorter time.
The Council Grove/Dunlap service begins at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, followed by the Simpson United Methodist Church service in Alta Vista at 11 a.m. Boatman said the schedule is busy but manageable, with enough time between services to make the trip.
One area of ministry that is especially important to Boatman is the use of multimedia and technology in the church. He completed his coursework for a Doctor of Ministry degree through Phillips Theological Semin-ary in Tulsa, with a focus on multimedia use in church settings.
Boatman said he believes churches can use technology to share their message and reach people who may not be able to attend in person. He said the Council Grove church already has technology in place, and he hopes to make fuller use of it, including through Facebook.
The spelling of Boatman’s first name also has a story. Legally, his middle name is Todd, spelled T-OD- D, and that is the name he used growing up. When he answered his call to ministry in 1995, he was leading a youth group study in Topeka about the importance of names in the Bible.
During the final lesson, he wrote his name on a dry erase board as an example for the youth. Instead of writing T-O-D-D, he wrote T-AU- D.
He said he had not planned the spelling and started to erase it, but one of the youth stopped him.
“She just said, ‘No, no, no, don’t erase that. That’s your new name. God’s renamed you,’” Boatman said.
He has gone by Taud ever since. Taud and Buffy have three daughters. Two live in Manhattan, along with the couple’s first grandson, who recently turned one. Their oldest daughter lives in Elkhart, in southwest Kansas.
Outside of ministry, Buffy has her own art studio and works in graphic design, painting, clay and other mediums. Taud enjoys photography, which was one of his jobs while serving in the Navy. He also has an interest in drone operation.
The Boatmans are living in the church parsonage on Country Lane in Council Grove. Taud said they have appreciated the welcome they have received and are settling into the community.
“I’m just looking to reach out and make new connections here in what is already a wonderful community, a wonderful set of churches, and looking to understand more about this location,” he said.