New Buford Street UMC pastor proud to stand up for the Lord

Rev. Joseph James at work at his stand-up desk. "It seems like I'm more productive and can be more focused when I'm standing up," he said. When you enter the office of Rev. Joseph James, the absence of a traditional desk is quite conspicuous.

That's because he says he does his best thinking standing up.

The sit-down desk and chair has been replaced with - what else? - a stand-up counterpart.

"It seems like I'm more productive and can be more focused when I'm standing up," the new pastor at Buford Street United Methodist Church explained. "You know, Winston Churchill had a stand-up desk that ran the length of the wall. He could have several projects laid out at several different places along that desk."

James replaces Scott Wachter, who was reassigned to Surfside United Methodist Church.

James' wife, Kathy, is a "deacon in full connection," meaning she serves as a congregational specialist, connecting churches with resources to meet their specific needs.

The couple has three children, Aaron, a junior in high school; Joe, a ninth grader; and Lewis, who is in the sixth grade.

The new Buford Street UMC pastor graduated from Wofford College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1985. He earned a Masters Degree in history from LSU and thought his career course was set. He was going to be a history teacher.

"I came home to Hartsville," James recalled. "I had an inkling at that time that maybe I was being called into the ministry but I put it aside for awhile and was selling insurance in Conway. I began to feel like I should be doing something different. I never fought that feeling. I just obeyed it."

His obedience led him to Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta.

"I was ordained in May of '94 and have been living the call ever since," he said.

His ministry brings him to Gaffney from India Hook United Methodist Church in Rock Hill, where he spent the past five years.

James' first sermon at his new church was a reaffirmation of baptism vows. His sermons are formulated at various times ranging from days to weeks.

"I carry legal pads and things to take notes on and do that over the course of various time frames," he said. "I've tried many ways but that's the way that works best for me."

Thus the sermon you hear Sunday might have actually originated weeks before and been amended and fine-tuned along the way.

James said his favorite book is Acts because it contains the origin of the church.

"In Acts, the Gospel begins to move out all over the world," he said. "They thought they were putting the church out of business but they were wrong. I like what Acts says about the church and what the church is supposed to be. We've kind of lost what the church is supposed to be about. I hope churches are getting back to proclaiming the Word and making God's love known to the world.

"It's not about me or any other pastor," he continued. "It's about how we help each person with their own ministry."

As for the order of worship and the way things are done, he had this to say, "I try to follow the basic pattern in the hymnal. Sometimes I mix it up. You don't impose your own way of doing things without some conversation or consulting with the members."

The good reverend has come a long way from selling insurance in Conway to preaching the Word in Gaffney, although he points out that in his new profession he is still selling fire insurance.

"No, wait," he said. "Now I'm giving it away."