The ordained or licensed person who has been appointed by the bishop to be in charge of a local church or churches. The pastor in this formal sense is the official representative of the Annual Conference and is responsible for serving effectively in the ministry of "Word, Sacrament, and Order" in that appointment. In a less formal sense, pastor is a title synonymous with minister.
Source: A Dictionary for United Methodists, Alan K. Waltz, Copyright 1991, Abingdon Press. Used by permission.
