MidSouth Articles, MidSouth Conference

Announcement: Knoxville District Presiding Elder

by Rev. Amy Carlson • Published Sunday, September 14, 2025

We are pleased to announce that Rev. Brad Stapleton, pastor of Alcoa First Methodist Church in Alcoa, TN, has been appointed by Bishop Kenneth Levingston as Presiding Elder of the Knoxville District of the MidSouth Annual Conference. Prior to this appointment, Rev. Stapleton was the Presiding Elder of the Sevierville District since its inception where he also served as the Senior Pastor at Kodak Church located in Sevier County.

A graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary, where he completed his Master of Divinity degree, Rev. Stapleton now enters his 22nd year of ministry within Methodist Churches. His mission is to “preach and teach scripture in a way that is both faithful and practical, in an effort to connect biblical truth to everyday life.” Within ministry, he aims to foster a culture that is centered on prayer, worship, and outreach with a vision that Global Methodist churches have a combination of inward holiness cultivated through Bible study and worship with outward holiness to serve the least, the last, and the lost as people are connected with God. We look forward to his continued leadership in the MidSouth Annual Conference and are blessed by his witness across congregations!

Rev. Amy Carlson

Amy was the first Director of Communications for the MidSouth, serving from 2024 to 2026 as she laid the foundation for all conference communications. She combines 20 years of marketing, advertising, and communications experience and training with a decade of immersive ministry application for living discipleship. As a leader, Amy comes alongside people and systems to help them thrive through discernment, problem-solving, creativity, and connection, fostering a culture of authenticity. Amy is also the co-founder and lead pastor of Our Story Church, a church plant in Louisville, KY, where she still serves.