Rueben Philip Job
Encyclopedia
Rueben Philip Job is a retired American
Bishop
of the United Methodist Church
. Elected in 1984, he served the Iowa
Episcopal Area
, and retired in 1992.
. On 20 August 1953 he married Beverly Nadine Ellerbeck of George, Iowa
. They are the parents of four children: Deborah, Ann, Philip and David, and have seven grandchildren.
degree from Westmar College in 1954 (as did his wife, a member of the same class). He earned the Bachelor of Divinity
degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
in May 1957. Bishop Job holds honorary doctorates from Westmar College (1975), Dakota Wesleyan University
(1980), Asbury Theological Seminary
(1984), the University of Dubuque
Theological School (1989), Rust College
(1991), Simpson College
(1992), and Iowa Wesleyan College
(1992).
(E.U.B.) from Bishop E.W. Pretorius. Rev. Job received a Student Appointment that summer. He was ordained an Elder by Bishop H.R. Heininger in 1957.
Rev. Job served these pastorates in North Dakota
: Tuttle (1957-60); Minot (1960-61); Calvary Church, Fargo
(1962-65). In 1961-62 he served in Europe
as a Chaplain
in the U.S. Air Force. He served on the staff of the General Board of Evangelism of the E.U.B. Church (1965-68), and on the general staff of the U.M.
Board of Evangelism and Discipleship (1968-77), following the 1968 merger of the E.U.B. and Methodist Churches, forming the United Methodist Church
. In 1977 Job was appointed District Superintendent of the Northern District of the South Dakota
Annual Conference
. He held this position until he became the World Editor of The Upper Room. For years he had also been active in the development of spiritual enrichment programs and materials, the author or co-author of numerous works.
Episcopal Area. He served on the U.M. General Commission on Communications as a Bishop. He was also Chairperson of the Hymnal
Revision Committee of the church, resulting in the 1989 United Methodist Hymnal
. Bishop Job retired from the Episcopacy in 1992.
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 1984, he served 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...
Episcopal Area
Episcopal Area
An Episcopal Area in the United Methodist Church is a basic unit of this denomination. It is a region presided over by a resident bishop that is similar to a diocese in other Christian denominations. Each annual conference in the UMC is within a single episcopal area; some episcopal areas...
, and retired in 1992.
Birth and family
Job was born on 7 February 1928 in Jamestown, North DakotaJamestown, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,527 people, 6,505 households, and 3,798 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.7 per square mile . There were 6,970 housing units at an average density of 559.6 per square mile...
. On 20 August 1953 he married Beverly Nadine Ellerbeck of George, Iowa
George, Iowa
George is a city in Lyon County, Iowa, United States, along the Little Rock River. The population was 1,051 at the 2000 census. The ZIP Code for George is 51237.-Geography:George is located at ....
. They are the parents of four children: Deborah, Ann, Philip and David, and have seven grandchildren.
Education
Job 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 from Westmar College in 1954 (as did his wife, a member of the same class). He earned the Bachelor of Divinity
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
Garrett–Evangelical Theological Seminary is a graduate school of theology of the United Methodist Church located in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1853, Garrett-Evangelical is on the campus of Northwestern University and continues many associations with the university...
in May 1957. Bishop Job holds honorary doctorates from Westmar College (1975), Dakota Wesleyan University
Dakota Wesleyan University
Dakota Wesleyan University is a four-year university located in Mitchell, South Dakota, founded in 1885, that is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The student body averages slightly less than 800 students...
(1980), Asbury Theological Seminary
Asbury Theological Seminary
Asbury Theological Seminary is a multi-denominational, graduate institution that offers a variety of master degree and postgraduate degree programs through the schools of Biblical Interpretation and Proclamation, Theology and Formation, Practical Theology, World Missions and Evangelism, and...
(1984), the University of Dubuque
University of Dubuque
The University of Dubuque is a Presbyterian university located in Dubuque, Iowa, with a general attendance of approximately 1,600 students. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It is one of three four-year post-secondary institutions in the City of Dubuque, and is...
Theological School (1989), Rust College
Rust College
Rust College is a historically black liberal arts college located in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Located approximately 35 miles southeast of Memphis, Tennessee, it is the second-oldest private college in the state...
(1991), Simpson College
Simpson College
Simpson College is a four-year, coeducational liberal arts institution situated in Indianola, Iowa, USA, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Simpson, which has been fully accredited by North Central Association since 1913, is a small school with approximately 1,400 full-time students...
(1992), and Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan College is a private four-year liberal arts college of the United Methodist Church located Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.Iowa Wesleyan is recognized as a pioneer in higher education in America. Founded in 1842, it ranks as the oldest coeducational college located west of the Mississippi River...
(1992).
Ordained ministry
On 24 May 1952 Job received a License to Preach in the Evangelical United Brethren ChurchEvangelical United Brethren Church
The Evangelical United Brethren Church was an American Protestant church which was formed in 1946 by the merger of the Evangelical Church with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ...
(E.U.B.) from Bishop E.W. Pretorius. Rev. Job received a Student Appointment that summer. He was ordained an Elder by Bishop H.R. Heininger in 1957.
Rev. Job served these pastorates in North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
: Tuttle (1957-60); Minot (1960-61); Calvary Church, Fargo
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
(1962-65). In 1961-62 he served in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as a Chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
in the U.S. Air Force. He served on the staff of the General Board of Evangelism of the E.U.B. Church (1965-68), and on the general staff of the U.M.
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...
Board of Evangelism and Discipleship (1968-77), following the 1968 merger of the E.U.B. and Methodist Churches, forming 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...
. In 1977 Job was appointed District Superintendent of the Northern District of the South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
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...
. He held this position until he became the World Editor of The Upper Room. For years he had also been active in the development of spiritual enrichment programs and materials, the author or co-author of numerous works.
Episcopal ministry
The 1984 North Central Jurisdictional Conference of the U.M.C. elected Rueben Job a Bishop and assigned him to the IowaIowa
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...
Episcopal Area. He served on the U.M. General Commission on Communications as a Bishop. He was also Chairperson of the Hymnal
Hymnal
Hymnal or hymnary or hymnbook is a collection of hymns, i.e. religious songs, usually in the form of a book. The earliest hand-written hymnals are known since Middle Ages in the context of European Christianity...
Revision Committee of the church, resulting in the 1989 United Methodist Hymnal
United Methodist Hymnal
The United Methodist Hymnal is the hymnal used by The United Methodist Church. It was first published in 1989 as the first hymnal for The United Methodist Church after the 1968 merger of The Methodist Church with The Evangelical United Brethren Church...
. Bishop Job retired from the Episcopacy in 1992.
Selected writings
- Three Simple Rules: A Wesleyan Way of Living
- Living Fully, Dying Well
- A Journey Toward Solitude and Community
- A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants
- A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God
- A Wesleyan Spiritual Reader
- Spiritual Life in the Congregation
- A Guide to Prayer for All God’s People
- How to Conduct a Spiritual Life Retreat