Rev. Milton A. Proctor currently serves  Presiding Elder for the Beaumont-Nacogdoches District in the Eighth Episcopal District of the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church under the leadership of Senior Bishop Lawrence L. Reddick, III.

Thank you for the opportunity to interview you. We would like to give everyone the opportunity to know a little more about you.

Where were you born? I was born in Fairmont West Virginia

Please share with us your educational background. I am a graduate of Lane College at Jackson Tennessee. I attended Phillips School of Theology at the ITC, Atlanta, Georgia. I also attended Columbia Theological Seminary and Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.

Can you tell us about your calling into ministry? I ran from the calling when I was first called to the point of stop going my home church. I thought my pastor was “in on it”, so I started attending other churches. I seemed like every church I attended, the preacher knew I was running from my calling and some seemed like they were preaching directly to me. After a year or so I gave in and had a heart to heart talk to the Lord about why I didn’t feel fit for the calling. I had a very bad speech impediment which was stuttering. In fact, very few people could understand what I was saying.  I did not want to be a preacher that nobody could understand. So that is what my talk to the Lord was about but He reminded me that He died for me so I surrendered. It was all by myself when I had that talk with God. After I had a talk with my pastor, he decided that I should continue my education. I sent out applications to all the CME colleges and Lane happened to be the first to send something back. I just took it and kept on going.

Why do you feel called to serve the CME church? I was born and reared in the CME church and even though I left the church for a little while. Once I recommitted myself, it was my home church I chose to go back to. I thought they might want to put me out so I took a seat in the back of the church. That way I would not have far to go. It was just the opposite, I was welcomed back and made me feel that I was home.

As a Presiding Elder do you struggle with the most? Making sure that I continue to do what God will have me to do. There is always something puling at you from different angles. Sometimes people have different agenda.

What are the top three responsibilities of a Presiding Elder in your opinion? Number one be Godley in all that you do. Be honest and be committed.

Tell us about your leadership philosophy and how it influences the culture of the Pastors under your care and the CME church? I would say staying focused on being myself and being true to my own calling. Remembering so of the struggles I went through when I was a pastor and being helpful to other pastors and churches. 

This concludes our interview is there anything else you would like to share with the readers? My calling is to basically be a servant of the Lord in whatever way that God would have me to do. I take none of that for granted.

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