Gregory V. Palmer
Encyclopedia
Gregory Vaughn Palmer is an American
Bishop
of The United Methodist Church
, elected in 2000. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. His father, Herbert Palmer, is also a United Methodist pastor.
degree at George Washington University
. His M.Div.
degree is from the Duke Divinity School
(1979). Palmer was awarded an honorary D.D.
from Baldwin-Wallace College
in 1999.
and a District Superintendent. He entered the ministry in his home Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference
of the United Methodist Church in 1977. He served churches in North Carolina
where he was the Pastor of the Granville-Vance U.M. Charge in Oxford, North Carolina
and of the Asbury Temple United Methodist Church in Durham, North Carolina
.
Transferring to the East Ohio Annual Conference in 1979, he served as Pastor of the East Glenville United Methodist Church in Cleveland
(1979-81), and of the Werner
United Methodist Church in Cleveland (1981-85). He then became the Organizing Pastor of the James S. Thomas
United Methodist Church in Canton, Ohio
(1985-90). In 1990 Palmer was appointed Superintendent of the Youngstown
District of the East Ohio Conference. He served in this capacity until 1993 when he was appointed Pastor of the Berea United Methodist Church in Berea, Ohio
. It was from this position that he was elected a Bishop by the North Central Jurisdictional Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Palmer was elected a Delegate from East Ohio to United Methodist General and Jurisdictional Conferences (1988-2000), serving as the Delegation Chairperson in 1996. He served on the United Methodist General Council on Ministries. He has been a trustee of Baldwin-Wallace College, Ohio Wesleyan University
, and United Theological Seminary
. He has also been an Adjunct Instructor in Religion at Baldwin-Wallace.
Bishop Palmer served as Resident Bishop of the Iowa
Area from 2000 until 2008. He is presently serving his first quadrennium as Resident Bishop of the Illinois
Episcopal Area (Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference), assigned there in 2008. He was the President of the United Methodist Council of Bishops from May 2008 to May 2010.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of The United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, elected in 2000. He was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. His father, Herbert Palmer, is also a United Methodist pastor.
Education
He was educated in the Philadelphia public schools. In 1976 he earned the B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree at George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
. His M.Div.
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
degree is from the Duke Divinity School
Duke Divinity School
The Divinity School at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina is one of thirteen seminaries founded and supported by the United Methodist Church. It has 39 full time and 18 part time faculty and over 500 full time students. The current dean of The Divinity School is Richard B. Hays, who replaced...
(1979). Palmer was awarded an honorary D.D.
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
from Baldwin-Wallace College
Baldwin-Wallace College
Baldwin–Wallace College is a liberal arts college in Berea, Ohio, founded in 1845. It is home to the Riemenschneider-Bach Institute and the Baldwin–Wallace Conservatory of Music, an internationally renowned music school. The college is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Students receive a...
in 1999.
Ordained ministry
Prior to his election to the Episcopacy, Bishop Palmer served as a PastorPastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
and a District Superintendent. He entered the ministry in his home Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference
Annual Conference
An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...
of the United Methodist Church in 1977. He served churches in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
where he was the Pastor of the Granville-Vance U.M. Charge in Oxford, North Carolina
Oxford, North Carolina
Oxford is a city in Granville County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,461 at the 2010 census It is the county seat of Granville County.-History:...
and of the Asbury Temple United Methodist Church in Durham, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
.
Transferring to the East Ohio Annual Conference in 1979, he served as Pastor of the East Glenville United Methodist Church in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
(1979-81), and of the Werner
Hazen Graff Werner
Hazen Graff Werner was a Bishop of The Methodist Church and The United Methodist Church, elected in 1948.-Birth and family:...
United Methodist Church in Cleveland (1981-85). He then became the Organizing Pastor of the James S. Thomas
James Samuel Thomas
James Samuel Thomas was an American bishop in The Methodist Church . When elected in 1964, he was the youngest Methodist Bishop to date....
United Methodist Church in Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
(1985-90). In 1990 Palmer was appointed Superintendent of the Youngstown
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
District of the East Ohio Conference. He served in this capacity until 1993 when he was appointed Pastor of the Berea United Methodist Church in Berea, Ohio
Berea, Ohio
- History :The first European settlers were originally from Connecticut. Berea fell within Connecticut's Western Reserve and was surveyed and divided into townships and ranges by one Gideon Granger, a gentleman who served as Postmaster General under President Thomas Jefferson...
. It was from this position that he was elected a Bishop by the North Central Jurisdictional Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Palmer was elected a Delegate from East Ohio to United Methodist General and Jurisdictional Conferences (1988-2000), serving as the Delegation Chairperson in 1996. He served on the United Methodist General Council on Ministries. He has been a trustee of Baldwin-Wallace College, Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges...
, and United Theological Seminary
United Theological Seminary
United Theological Seminary is a United Methodist seminary in Trotwood, Ohio, United States, in the Dayton metropolitan area. Founded in 1869 by Milton Wright, it was originally sponsored by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ...
. He has also been an Adjunct Instructor in Religion at Baldwin-Wallace.
Bishop Palmer served as Resident Bishop of the Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
Area from 2000 until 2008. He is presently serving his first quadrennium as Resident Bishop of the Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Episcopal Area (Illinois Great Rivers Annual Conference), assigned there in 2008. He was the President of the United Methodist Council of Bishops from May 2008 to May 2010.