May 11, 2001 Edition

Bishop's Corner

Serving Others In The Name Of Christ

By Bishop  Timothy W.  Whitaker

    As I begin my ministry as the bishop of the Florida Area, I am mindful of the contributions of the episcopal leaders who have preceded me, especially Bishop J. Lloyd Knox and Bishop Cornelius Henderson.
    Bishop Knox provided extraordinary service to this area and to The United Methodist Church when he agreed to serve as episcopal leader of Florida following Bishop Henderson's death. He left the freedom of retirement to take care of the needs of the Florida Area. This was a particularly difficult assignment because the laity and clergy were experiencing the beginning of grief over the loss of their beloved bishop. All of us owe a debt of gratitude to Bishop Knox for his selfless and capable service.
    Much has been said about the remarkable life and ministry of Bishop Henderson. His passion for evangelism and his commitment to strengthening the ethnic diversity of the Florida Area have enabled our church to be more faithful to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ to go make disciples of all peoples. Bishop Henderson will be missed greatly, and he will never be replaced.
    One way that we may both honor Bishop Henderson and serve the Sovereign and Savior of the world is to support the construction of the Bishop Cornelius L. and Dorothye Henderson Secondary School in Africa. An offering for this school will be received during the Dare to Share Jesus 2001 Florida Annual Conference Event in Lakeland May 29-June 1.
    The building of this school is an exciting project. It is an opportunity for us to witness to Jesus Christ by helping build up his people in Mozambique. Perhaps the most important part of the project will be the friendship we will establish with our sisters and brothers in Mozambique. In the future, they will bring us what we need - the refreshment of our faith - as they tell the story of all that God is doing in their lives.
    We shall be able to learn about the need for this school when the Bishop of Mozambique, Joao Somane Machado, visits the Florida Area May 11-14.
    Bishop Cornelius Henderson showed us how we can be better disciples of Christ. By embracing the challenge to build this school, we may still learn from him and serve the needs of others in the name of Christ.

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 © 2001 Florida United Methodist Review Online