Dan Boring and Sharon Scanlan
Vista de la Montana United Methodist Church is looking forward to welcoming our new Pastor, Rev. Mary Dotson. For the past four years, Pastor Dotson has been assigned to the Green Valley United Methodist Church in Henderson, Nev., and prior to that, she served the First United Methodist Church, in Safford, Ariz. Pastor Mary was raised in a family of pastors, with her father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and several uncles all serving in the Mennonite, Church of the Brethren. Although she believed that she was being called to the ministry, that denomination did not permit women to serve as pastors, so after graduating from college, she taught English as a second language in Tokyo, Japan.
Pastor Mary has said that it wasn’t until her two children were in high school, that she again was called to ordained ministry and attended the American Baptist Seminary in Philadelphia. While completing a year-long internship with a large Methodist Church she became a member of the United Methodist Church and began the process of completing her ordination.
Mary’s husband, Ash Dotson, had a career working with the U. S. Air Force as a guidance systems analyst and later worked as a test engineer on rocket and satellite motors before he was called to the ministry. He was then licensed and appointed as an associate pastor while completing seminary and later served four different appointments in the east. Most recently, he has been serving the Page Community United Methodist Church near Las Vegas, Nev., and has now been appointed to serve the Methodist Church in Eloy, Ariz.
Desert Southwest Conference District Superintendent Matt Ashley has described Pastor Mary as “a gifted pastoral leader, preacher, and administrator” and a caring listener who will build strong relationships with people throughout the congregation.” Clearly, we are all pleased to have Pastor Mary appointed to serve at Vista de la Montana and welcome all in our community to join us as she leads us in our walk with Christ.