July 15, 2016
In a history-making decision, the Rev. Sharma D. Lewis from Decatur, GA has been elected as a Bishop in the United Methodist Church, the first African-American woman from the South to be elected to the denomination’s highest office. She will be the Bishop for the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Rev. Lewis has served as the District Superintendent of the Atlanta-Decatur-Oxford District in the North Georgia Conference. She is a second-career pastor with a distinguished record of service. A graduate of Mercer University (B.S., Biology, 1985), the University of West Georgia (M.S., Biology, 1988), and Gammon Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center (M.Div., 1999), Rev. Lewis worked as a research biologist and chemist prior to answering to God’s call.
As Bishop, she will serve as an ex-officio member of our Board of Trustees. I look forward to working with her and introducing her to the Virginia Wesleyan community.
