James Samuel Thomas
James Samuel Thomas (April 8, 1919 – October 10, 2010[1]) was an American bishop in The Methodist Church (now The United Methodist Church). When elected in 1964, he was one of the youngest Methodist bishops. Gerald Kennedy was age 40 when he was elected in the mid-1940s.
James Samuel Thomas | |
|---|---|
| Resident Bishop | |
| Church | United Methodist Church |
| See | Ohio East Episcopal Area |
| In office | 1976–88 |
| Predecessor | Francis Enmer Kearns |
| Successor | Edwin Charles Boulton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 8, 1919 Orangeburg, South Carolina |
| Died | October 10, 2010 (aged 91) |
| Previous post | Resident Bishop, Iowa Area, Bishop |
His first appointment as Bishop was in Iowa, where he served from 1964 to 1976, becoming the first black bishop of the North Central Jurisdiction of The Methodist Church. He last served as the Resident Bishop of the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church from 1976 until 1988, retiring in 1988.
In 2002, the Iowa Senate passed a resolution honoring Bishop Thomas. In its citation, the Senate extended
- "its thanks and congratulations to Bishop James S. Thomas and his family for their service to The United Methodist Church and to the State of Iowa, and acknowledges the work of Bishop James S. Thomas for the advancement of civil rights in Iowa and in the nation."
The resolution was presented to Bishop Thomas on his birthday in the same year.[2]
See also
- List of Bishops of the United Methodist Church
Notes
- The Times and Democrat, 2010-10-15. "A Pioneer, a Visionary": United Methodist Bishop Thomas leaves extraordinary legacy. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
- Iowa Senate Resolution S.R. 136 of 2002
External links
| Religious titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Francis Enmer Kearns |
Resident Bishop, Ohio East Area, United Methodist Church 1976–1988 |
Succeeded by Edwin Charles Boulton |