SEJ Bishops Meet in Birmingham

United Methodist connectionalism was alive in Birmingham this week as the Southeastern Jurisdiction College of Bishops and Southeastern Jurisdiction Annual Conference Lay Leaders both held meetings in the city. As President of the Southeastern Jurisdiction College of Bishops this year, Bishop Will Willimon served as host for the historic meeting of the SEJ College of Bishops in Birmingham, January 13-16. North Alabama Conference Lay Leader Ellen Harris, also hosted the SEJ Conference...

Bishop Willimon to Speak at Emory on Emerging Evangelicals

United Methodist Bishop William H. Willimon will give a public lecture titled "Emerging Evangelicals Among Postmoderns: A Blessing and a Warning" at Emory University's Candler School of Theology at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 12. Willimon's lecture, which will be followed by a question-and-answer session, will be held in room 252 of the theology school building, 1531 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, 30322. The event is sponsored by the Candler Evangelical Society, a student organization. Admission...

Bishop Preaches on "Day1" Broadcast

Bishop Willimon will be appearing on the Day One broadcast during the first  three weeks of October.  Day One, successor to the Protestant Hour, presents distinguished preachers from around the country on a broadcast that is heard around the world.   “I loved listening to the Protestant Hour as a young, developing preacher. It’s an honor for me to be back on the broadcast,” said Bishop Willimon.  His sermons are on the lectionary passages for...

Conference Archives Preserves our Heritage

The North Alabama Conference Archives and History Commission have recently led the Conference in celebrating Two Hundred Years of Methodism in Alabama. “We are blessed with a grand tradition here in our Conference and with excellent Archives at Birmingham-Southern College. Guy Hubbs leads one of the best run Archives in Methodism,” said Bishop Willimon. This year the Archives asked to be the repository of Bishop Willimon’s sermons, papers, and materials related to his...

Bishop Willimon to Be Awarded Degrees

During May Bishop Willimon will be awarded honorary degrees by Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina and by Moravian Theological Seminary in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  A number of other colleges and universities have recognized the bishop’s work in ministry and church related higher education. Bishop Willimon serves on the Board of three colleges, Huntingdon, Birmingham-Southern, and Emory.  He and his wife Patsy have established endowed scholarship and...

Two ministries to honor Bishop Willimon during October

In October 2008, two organizations will honor North Alabama Bishop Will Willimon. On Friday, October 24, the University of South Carolina Columbia Wesley Foundation will hold a dinner to celebration the inauguration of the William H. Willimon Campus Ministry Fund.Bishop Willimon, a native of South Carolina, will offer the keynote address at this event.      Kenneth Nelson, Board Member of the USC Columbia Wesley Foundation explains, “We are very proud of Bishop...

Bishop Willimon’s messages, podcasts resume

After a summer respite, messages from Bishop Willimon by E-mail and podcast have now resumed. New podcasts have been uploaded to iTunes weekly since August 21, and the first weekly E-mail message was sent September 1. In his weekly E-mail messages, Bishop Willimon shares thoughts and inspirations relevant to Christian living. Archives of past messages are available on the conference web site. Podcasts are recordings of Bishop Willimon’s speaking engagements at various locations...

Bishop's Leadership Summit looks forward to next four years

On Wednesday, September 3, 2008, Bishop Willimon hosted a Leadership Summit on the campus of Birmingham-Southern.  The Summit was made up of almost 80 North Alabama clergy and laity who were invited to came together to engage in conversation about the issues, opportunities and challenges presented in the next four years. The focus question of the day was, “What are some of the ‘mission critical’ steps we need to take in the next four years to fulfill our vision and...

Bishop leads conversations on Iraq war

Practicing Christian conferencing in the Wesley tradition, Bishop William H. Willimon led Conversations on the War in Iraq in three North Alabama Conference churches this month. The format of these conversations included comments by Bishop Willimon, small group discussions led by facilitators chosen in advance, a worship service, and prayers offered by all participants. In his opening statement, Bishop Willimon said that thinking about war is a challenge to Christians. Referencing Matthew...

Bishop Willimon to Speak in Cambridge

During the first week of August, Bishop and Mrs. Willimon will be in Cambridge, England, where he is speaking at the C. S. Lewis Conference at Kings College in Cambridge.  The C. S. Lewis Conference explores the significance of C. S. Lewis and his work for the contemporary practice of the Christian faith.  Bishop Willimon will be speaking on the notion of the belief in salvation as it relates to the life of C. S. Lewis.   “I have been pleased with the reception of my book...

Bishop Willimon to return to North Alabama for another four years

On the final evening of the 2008 Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference, it was confirmed that Bishop William H. Willimon will continue as the Episcopal leader of the North Alabama Conference for another four years.  This announcement was made when the SEJ Committee on the Episcopacy reported the assignments of the Bishops within the Southeastern Jurisdiction.  The new SEJ Bishop assignments are: Alabama-West Florida Episcopal Area – Bishop Paul L Leeland ...

Bill Hamer Coaches Bishop and Staff to Greater Effectiveness

Bill Hamer, active member of St. Mark UMC, Birmingham retired just over a year ago as Senior Vice President at Protective Life Corporation.   Then God (and Bishop Willimon) called Hamer into a new form of ministry – coach and supervisor at the United Methodist Center. “I had an executive coach back at Duke and found the practice very helpful,” said Bishop Willimon.  “Few of us pastors have much training or experience in supervision and management. ...

Committee on Episcopacy to request Bishop Willimon be reassigned to the Birmingham Area during 2008 Jurisdictional Conference

The 2008 Southeastern (SEJ) Jurisdictional Conference will be July 16-19, 2008, at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center in Western North Carolina.  During the SEJ Conference delegates from the 15 Annual Conferences within the southeast will gather under the theme “Living the United Methodist Way.” A United Methodist Jurisdictional Conference happens every 4 years. There are five Jurisdictions in the Untied States and each Jurisdiction holds  its Jurisdictional...

Bishop Willimon to join University Senate

The General Conference has appointed Bishop Willimon as a member of the United Methodist University Senate. The University Senate provides accreditation, oversight, and support to United Methodist schools, colleges, and universities. “I’ve been selective in taking on work for the General Church.   Having spent over thirty years in higher education, I was eager to take on this role,” said Bishop Willimon. Bishop Willimon served as professor at Duke University...

Bishop Willimon Tackles Question of Salvation in New Book

Who Will Be Saved? is the central question of Bishop William H. Willimon's newest book, published last week by Abingdon Press   "In the last few years, teaching and preaching in our churches, I've found a good deal of interest, and some confusion, in regard to what Christians believe about salvation in Jesus Christ," commented Bishop Willimon. "We Wesleyans have always taken an orthodox view of how and whom Jesus Christ saves.  But we have also stressed...

Guide to Preaching and Leading Worship Published by Bishop Willimon

This week Westminster John Knox Press has published Bishop Willimon's popular Guide to Preaching and Leading Worship.  This book has been used in dozens of seminaries and in the Ministerial Course of Study School for the past decade.  "I have completely reworked my earlier book in the light of recent developments in preaching and in worship," said Bishop Willimon.  The Guide has been valued as a concise, practical introduction to the practice of preaching and...

Bishop Willimon Teaching in Singapore

On Maundy Thursday, March 20, Will and Patsy Willimon will leave for Singapore and Malaysia on a mission trip.  Bishop Willimon has been invited to meet with all the pastors of the Singapore Methodist Church and to give a lecture in the theological college there.   Bishop Willimon will lecture on Wesleyan Theology.  All of the pastors have his book, United Methodist Beliefs that is currently being studied in many of the congregations in the North Alabama Conference.  The...

Bishop Willimon to present lectures at Beeson Divinity School

On February 19-21, 2008, North Alabama Conference Bishop William H. Willimon will present the William E. Conger, Jr. Lectures on Biblical Preaching at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham. Bishop Willimon  will deliver the sermon during the chapel service on Tuesday, Feb 19, at 11 a.m.  He will then present lectures on Wednesday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and on Thursday at 11 a.m.  Each of these events will take place in the Andrew Gerow Hodges Chapel on the campus of Samford...

North Alabama United Methodists invited to Breakaway Feb 15-17

On Feb 15-17, 2008, North Alabama United Methodists will gather at Camp Springville to dream God’s dream during a weekend event called Breakaway. The event will feature Ron Martoia and North Alabama Bishop Will Willimon. Worship will be led by Crowe.  Working toward the North Alabama Conference priorities of empowering a new generation of Christians and effective leadership for the 21st century, the Breakaway event is planned with young adults in mind but is open to...

Bishop Willimon receives positive marks in extensive 2007 evaluation

Evaluation and accountability have been a part of the Methodist movement from the beginning.  During the last three years, under the episcopal leadership of Bishop William H. Willimon, these words have become even more a part of the North Alabama Conference conversation and way of life.  So much so that even Bishop Willimon undergoes an annual evaluation. Chair of the North Alabama Conference Committee on Episcopacy Dr. T. Michael Morgan explains that each year throughout Bishop...