September 21, 2016
Many of you know that I am a lifelong member of the United
Methodist Church, and most of my higher educational career has focused on
service to the UMC and church-related higher education. This week, I had the
pleasure of spending a significant amount of time with our
new bishop, the Rev. Sharma D. Lewis. Bishop Lewis's
appointment is a historic one as she is the first African-American woman to be
named bishop for the Southeastern Jurisdiction. In her new role, Bishop Lewis
will oversee 1,169 local churches and serve as an ex-officio member
of our Board of Trustees.
She recently came to campus for our New Trustee Orientation, and
I had the opportunity to take part in her installation at Reveille United
Methodist Church in Richmond on Saturday. In my meetings with her, she's
been energetic and enthusiastic as she describes her new vision for the
Conference and a new relationship with the six Methodist institutions in the
Virginia Conference.
It's no secret that the United Methodist Church is experiencing challenging
times. A recent report from the UMC warned,
"The United Methodist Church has only 15 years to reverse its decline in
the United States if it is to have a sustainable future" (from "Economist: Church in crisis but hope remains" by Heather Hahn).
Bishop Lewis's vibrant character and
sincere spirituality, however, can give us all hope for what's ahead. As Chair
of the Association of Institutions of Education, a member of the National
Association of Schools & Colleges of The United Methodist Church (NASCUMC)
Board, and the President of this College, I am excited about the future of the
Virginia Conference under her leadership.
