Canterbury UMC hosts Bishop Willimon for Legacy Learning event

The Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church was the featured speaker Monday, July 23,2012, at Legacy Learning offered by Canterbury United Methodist Church in Birmingham.  Bishop William Willimon is retiring after eight years of leading United Methodist in North Alabama. He soon will be teaching at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Canterbury Hall was beautifully decorated with an English Garden Party theme.  Two large white Greek...

Bishop Willimon to lead Ash Wednesday Service of Repentance and Reconciliation

On August 11, 1921, Methodist Episcopal Church, South preacher E. R. Stephenson stepped onto the porch of the rectory of the Catholic Cathedral of St. Paul in Birmingham and shot to death Father James Coyle, pastor of the Cathedral. Father Coyle, a native of Ireland, had been a teacher in Mobile and had served St. Paul's for seventeen years.  He was renowned for his preaching and teaching on racial justice and the Christian faith. Just hours before he was shot, Father Coyle had...

Bishop Teaches Class for Fuller Seminary in Birmingham

Many of North Alabama's best pastors have earned a Doctor of Ministry degree in order to prepare themselves for innovative church leadership. Next February 13-17, Bishop Willimon will again teach a Doctor of Ministry course for Fuller Seminary at the United Methodist Center in Birmingham. "I've enjoyed teaching at Fuller," said Bishop Willimon. "They have high academic standards and one of the most diverse constituencies. They have agreed to allow me to teach this course in...

Bishop Willimon's Messages published in book

For the past seven years, Bishop Willimon has published weekly messages, his "Bishop's Email." The messages have ranged from his thoughts on ministry, current challenges for our churches, theological and pastoral subjects, prayers, and other thoughts on Christian ministry. The messages have been published on the North Alabama Conference website and also emailed to subscribers. North Alabama Conference Director of Communication Danette Clifton notes, “The Bishop’s Message...

Bishop Willimon announces goals for 2011-12

Each year throughout Bishop Will Willimon’s tenure in North Alabama he has asked the Committee on Episcopacy to evaluate his performance. Bishop Willimon develops and shares shares his goals for the next year with the committee and those goals become the framework for his next evaluation. Bishop Willimon announces his goals for 2011-2012. William H. Willimon Goals for 2011-2012 Attendance increase of 2% overall. (Accomplished through closer management of the Dashboard statistics,...

Bishop invites United Methodists to April 6 Leadership Summit

On April 6, 2011, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. there will be a "Leadership Summit" sponsored by the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church. The summit will be webcast from Nashville and will feature feedback by email from viewers around the Connection. Bishop Will Willimon says, "This webcast is an initiative by the Council of Bishops to develop transformative leadership in our church. While a number of our Districts will be gathering to view this webcast, I would like...

Bishop receives grant for sabbatical, encourages pastors to take time for study and spiritual growth

The Sabbath Leave Program, based at the Center for Pastoral Excellence at Samford University and funded by the Lilly Endowment, has just awarded Bishop Willimon funds to assist him in a two month sabbatical this summer. Bishops are granted three months Renewal Leave every four years. Bishop Willimon plans to use his leave for study, writing, rest and recreation. “The Sabbath Leave Program is a great resource for our clergy. I am honored to be selected for this grant. Unfortunately, even...

Dr. Andrew Bacevich to Speak at Huntingdon College

Internationally recognized diplomatic and military historian Dr. Andrew J. Bacevich will speak at United Methodist Huntingdon College on Tuesday, March 15, at 7 p.m. in the College's Ligon Chapel, Flowers Hall. As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue, U.S. historians and political scientists are examining the role of the United States in foreign policy. Col. Bacevich is author of American Empire, a critical assessment of the current wars in the Near East. Part of the funding for his visit...

Bishop Willimon to preach 4-part series on ‘Day 1’

Bishop of North Alabama United Methodist Conference to address “Why Jesus?” The Rev. Dr. William H. Willimon, bishop of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church, based in Birmingham, is the featured speaker for a four-part series airing October 3, 10, 17 and 24 on “Day 1,” the nationally syndicated radio program also accessible by podcast at Day1.org. Each program includes a sermon by Willimon along with interviews conducted by Peter Wallace,...

“Lord, You Call Us to Your Service” Published in New Hymnal

Six years ago the Reverend Steve West, pastor of Grace United Methodist in Huntsville, and Bishop Will Willimon collaborated on a new hymn, “Lord, You Call Us to Your Service.” Since then their hymn has been used in every Service of Ordination at the North Alabama Annual Conference. Now the hymn has been published in a new hymnal, Celebrating Grace Hymnal. While the hymnal is designed for use in Baptist churches, it is expected to have wide ecumenical appeal. “Steve, as...

Bishop Willimon Among 25 Most Influential Preachers

The May-June issue of Preaching, a magazine for preachers celebrated its twenty-fifth year of publication by a survey of readers that lists the twenty-five most influential preachers in the last twenty-five years. Billy Graham, Charles Swindoll, Rich Warren were the top four. Bishop William H. Willimon, the only United Methodist on the list, was listed at nineteen. Barbara Brown Taylor and Fred Craddock, who have taught many preachers in North Alabama, were also listed. “Though I...

Bishop Willimon’s Preaching Insights in New Publication

Each week over eight thousand pastors turn to Bishop William Willimon’s quarterly publication, Pulpit Resource for guidance, biblical interpretation, and inspiration for their Sunday sermons. Keyed to the lessons for each Sunday from the Common Lectionary, Bishop Willimon’s periodical has given pastors the help they need to do biblically-based preaching. Now a selection of Bishop Willimon’s homiletical wisdom from Pulpit Resource is available for a wider audience in a new...

Bishop Willimon preaching in dozens of North Alabama Churches on growth of the Kingdom of God

As part of the North Alabama Conference’s emphasis on evangelism and church growth, Bishop Willimon has recorded three sermons on DVD to be used in North Alabama congregations. All of the sermons are keyed to passages from the gospels that speak to the growth of the Kingdom of God. “My hope, in these sermons, is to highlight growth as an essential mark of a faithful congregation,” said Bishop Willimon. This spring the North Alabama Conference Cabinet made these videos...

Video conversation helps churches better understand clergy benefits

The United Methodist Church has three mandatory benefits programs for its clergy in the United States – health insurance, pension and disability. One program which often causes confusion among local churches is clergy pension. So recently, Bishop Will Willimon and North Alabama Conference Treasurer Scott Selman sat down to discuss this topic. A video of this conversation is below. One thing that makes this an important issue for local churches today is that beginning in 2007 clergy...

Bishop Willimon's new book, This We Believe, explores the core of Wesleyan faith and practice

This spring Abingdon Press published Bishop William Willimon’s new book, This We Believe: The Core of Wesleyan Faith and Practice. The book is a presentation of key Wesleyan biblical and theological affirmations. Dr. Randy Maddox, a Wesleyan theologian at Duke, says, “Bishop Willimon gifts us with a concise, articulate, and accessible introduction to Wesleyan belief and practice.” Distinguish Duke Wesleyan historian, Richard Heitzenrater says, “In this exceptional...

Stanley Hauerwas to Speak at Birmingham-Southern College

The man Time Magazine called “America’s best theologian” will give a lecture on Jesus and nonviolence at Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) in the Norton Auditorium at 11 am on Tuesday, April 13, 2010. Stanley Hauerwas is Professor of Theology at Duke University and is brought to BSC by the Bishop’s Faith and Ethics Lectureship. The Lectureship was established in 2005 by Patsy and Will Willimon as a gift to Birmingham-Southern College. Bishop Willimon is a trustee of the...

Bishop Willimon celebrates partnership with scouting

Nearly 100 pastors and laity attended the Bishop’s Dinner for Scouting on March 30 at Gardendale-Mount Vernon UMC. Dr. Rudy Guess, pastor of the church, testified to the ways in which Scouting has helped in the remarkable growth of his congregation. “Churches of the North Alabama Conference are the principal partner for Scouting in Alabama,” said Rick Kilgore, a member of Canterbury UMC. “Reaching a new generation is one of our Conference Priorities,” Bishop...

Invitation to the Oberammergau Passion Play

“Pasty and I would like to invite you to come and join us, and a group of pilgrims from North Alabama for the historic Passion Play in Oberammergau, Austria,” said Bishop Willimon. The Oberammergau Passion Play is a 6-hour musical and dramatic presentation of Holy Week, a one-of-a-kind event in a theater that seats 4700 with an out of doors stage. The group, which at present includes groups from St. Mark’s Birmingham, Vestavia, and Trinity Huntsville congregations, will be...

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...