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Millsaps College
has established a scholarship for entering freshman students that
honors the College's eight alumni bishops. The scholarship will
assist entering United Methodist students who exhibit outstanding
leadership and service in their school, church or community.
"We are
convinced that Millsaps has produced, by far, the largest number
of alumni bishops than any other United Methodist college or university
in the world," said Millsaps President Frances Lucas. "This
scholarship will create a meaningful and lasting tribute to celebrate
these extraordinary leaders – those who are bishops now and
those who will be elected in the years to come."
"We are
so proud to initiate this fund," said Lucas. "It will
stand as permanent recognition of the achievements of these Millsaps
alumni and of the strength of the relationship that exists between
Millsaps and The United Methodist Church."
The eight Millsaps
alumni bishops are Roy Clark of Nashville, Tenn.; Ellis Finger of
Asheville, N.C.; Larry Goodpaster of Montgomery, Ala.; Clay F. Lee
Jr., of Jackson; Mary Ann McDonald Swenson of Pasadena, Calif.;
Timothy Whitaker of Lakeland, Fla.; the late Joel D. McDavid and
the late Nolan B. Harmon.
Scholarship
organizers have set a goal of $500,000 for the fund, and the first
Millsaps United Methodist Bishops Scholarship will be awarded in
the fall of 2005. For more information about the Millsaps United
Methodist Bishops Scholarship, or to donate to the fund, contact
Kay Barksdale at 601- 974-1483 or barkskb@millsaps.edu.
About
the Bishops
Bishop Roy C. Clark,
B.A. 1941
Bachelor of Divinity, Yale University Divinity School
Bishop Clark served appointments in Pascagoula, Wesson, Centerville,
Forest, Jackson (Capitol Street), Memphis and Nashville, Tenn.,
before being elected to the episcopacy in 1980, where he served
the Columbia, S.C., Area. He has served as adjunct faculty at Memphis
Theological School and Vanderbilt University. His episcopal duties
have included service on the General Board of Global Ministries,
President of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, and trustee
of the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. He is author
of Expect a Miracle and has written articles for United Methodist
curriculum and Disciple Resources.
Bishop Homer Ellis Finger, Jr., B.A. 1937
Bachelor of Divinity,
Yale University Divinity School
Bishop Finger served appointments in Coldwater, the United States
Navy, and Oxford before was President of Millsaps College from 1952
to 1964. In 1964 he was elected to the episcopacy assigned to the
Nashville Area, which included the Memphis and Tennessee Conferences
until 1976 and the Holston Conference from 1976-1984. During his
tenure as Bishop he chaired the United Methodist Commission on Chaplains
and Related Ministries, Scarritt College trustees, the Committee
on Confirmation Resources, Executive Committee of the World Methodist
Council, and General Council on Finance and Administration. He was
a member of the Board of Christian Social Concerns, Methodist Corporation,
Committee on Communications, executive committee of the Council
of Bishops, and chaired the Council of Bishops in 1981-82.
Bishop Larry
M. Goodpaster, B.A. 1970
Master of Divinity, Doctory of Ministry, Candler School of Theology,
Emory University
Bishop Goodpaster served appointments in Vaiden, Indianola, Clarksdale,
Como, Oxford, Meridian, and Tupelo, including district superintendent
of the Tupelo District, before his election to the episcopacy in
2000 and assignment to the Alabama-West Florida Area. He has served
on the General Commission on Church and Society, the Southeastern
Jurisdiction Association of Board Chairs and Registrars, and the
General Commission on Religion and Race, Methodist Healthcare Inc.,
and the Theological Schools Review Committee. He is the author of
Like a Breath of Fresh Air, a collection of sermons for Pentecost.
Bishop Nolan
B. Harmon, B.A. 1914 (1892 - 1993)
Master of Arts, Princeton University
Bishop Harmon served a brief time in the chaplaincy of the U.S.
Army in World War I, followed by appointments in the Baltimore Conference.
In 1940 he was elected Book Editor of the re-united Methodist Churches,
editing official documents of the Church, Abingdon Press, the journal
Religion in Life and The Interpreter's Bible. He was elected a Bishop
in 1956 and served the Charlotte Area and the South Carolina Conference.
He later administered the North Alabama and Kentucky Conferences.
Following his retirement, he edited the Encyclopedia of World Methodism,
published in 1974, and was visiting professor in the Candler School
of Theology. He authored numerous books, including Ministerial Ethics
and Etiquette, The Organization of the Methodist Church, The Rites
and Ritual of Episcopal Methodism, and served on the commission
to produce both the 1934 and the 1964 Methodist Hymnal. He was the
baccalaureate speaker for the 75th anniversary of his graduating
class at Millsaps.
Bishop Clay
F. Lee, B.A. 1951
Bachelor of Divinity, Candler School of Theology, Emory University
Bishop Clay Lee served appointments in Unity, Jackson (Capitol Street),
Raymond, Quitman, Philadelphia, and Jackson (Leavell Woods); Executive
Director of the Mississippi Conference Council on Ministries and
superintendent of the Brookhaven District before his 12-year tenure
at Galloway Memorial United Methodist Church in Jackson. He was
elected Bishop in 1988 and assigned to the Holston Conference.
He chaired the Board of Pensions and Health Benefits, Benefits 2000
Task Force, Joint Committee on Communications, Appalachian Development
Committee and the Southeastern Jurisdiction College of Bishops.
He is the author of Jesus Never Said Everyone Was Lovable, based
on a series of sermons broadcast on The Protestant Hour. He was
Bishop in Residence at Galloway from 1996- 2000 and is currently
Bishop in Residence at Millsaps.
Bishop Joel
D. McDavid, B.A. 1941 (1916 - 2003)
Bachelor of Divinity., Candler School of Theology, Emory University
Graduate Study, Boston University School of Theology
Bishop Joel McDavid served pastorates in Grand Bay Circuit, Toulminville,
Auburn, Montgomery and Dauphin Way, Alabama, until his election
as a Bishop in 1972. During his 12 years as an active bishop, he
served the Florida and North Georgia Conferences. In his retirement,
he taught at Candler School of Theology until becoming Bishop in
Residence at Dauphin Way United Methodist Church. He served on the
General Boards of Global Missions, Ministries, Discipleship and
Higher Education.
Bishop Mary
Ann McDonald Swenson, B.A. 1969
Doctor of Ministry, Claremont School of Theology
After serving as youth director at St. Luke's and Capitol Street
in Jackson, she pastored churches in Claremont and Orchards, California;
Vancouver and Wenatchee, Washington; and was superintendent of the
Puget Sound District, including congregations north of Seattle to
the Canadian border. She has served on the boards of Global Ministries
and Discipleship. She was elected to the episcopacy in 1992 and
assigned to the Denver Area with oversight of 400 congregations
in Montana, Wyoming, part of Idaho, Utah, and Colorado. In 200,
she was assigned to the Los Angeles area with oversight for California-Pacific
Annual Conference, the territory of Guam and Saipan, and the Korean
Mission. She serves on the General Committee on Finance and Administration
and is a director of the Center for JustPeace.
Bishop Swenson pursues the dream of leading the church to become
a more inclusive community, justice seeking, and more perfect in
love of God and neighbor.
Bishop Timothy
W. Whitaker, B.A. 1970
Master of Divinity, Candler School of Theology, Emory University
Bishop Whitaker served Spring Ridge in Jackson before transferring
to the Virginia Conference, where he was pastor of rural, small
town, suburban, and center city churches. As an elder, he served
on the Board of Discipleship, Board of Global Ministries and chaired
the Division of Elders of the Board of Ordained Ministry in the
Virginia Conference. He was superintendent of the Norfolk District
when he was elected to the episcopacy in 2001. He has written articles
for The Christian Century, Circuit Rider, Lectionary Homiletics
and the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
A student of patristics and history of the early church, Bishop
Whitaker is interested in recovering the living tradition of the
Christian church for equipping the contemporary church to fulfill
its mission in a pluralistic and secularized society.
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