California pastor Paul Dirdak to lead UMCOR
4/24/1998 News media contact: Linda Bloom · (646) 369-3759 · New York by United Methodist News Service STAMFORD, Conn. - The Rev. Paul Dirdak, a pastor from the California-Nevada Annual Conference, has been elected to lead the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).
The election occurred during the April 20-23 semi-annual meeting of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.
Dirdak will serve as a deputy general secretary of the board. His primary responsibility will be the Health and Relief unit, which includes UMCOR, Health and Welfare and Mission Volunteers.
He was a director of the Board of Global Ministries from 1988-96 and was president of the board's National Division from 1992-96. He also served as chairman of the Interagency Task Force on AIDS, created by the United Methodist General Conference, from 1988-96.
Suffering can always be found somewhere, Dirdak noted. UMCOR "has a long and distinguished track record of knowing the whole world and being engaged with all of it, all the time."
"UMCOR makes the world a family like few institutions do," he added.
Ordained in 1974, Dirdak served five parishes in rural and urban California before being appointed senior pastor at First United Methodist Church in Walnut Creek nearly two years ago. At Trinity Parish in San Francisco, where he served from 1988-96, he remains executive director of the AIDS/HIV Life Center. The Life Center is a project that will replace the existing church building with a $7 million facility housing both the church and a wide spectrum of AIDS service agencies.
Dirdak is a director of the denomination's General Council on Ministries and was the lead clergy delegate from the California/Nevada Conference to the 1996 General Conference.
He is married to the Rev. Wendy Pomeroy, who is in private practice as a therapist and business consultant.
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