Year: 2020

Pewo, Donna Chaat

Church And Community Worker With Native Youth PHOTO: COURTESY DONNA CHAAT PEWO My call to ministry formed in my local church. I served as a worship leader, a Sunday school teacher, as chair of the administrative board—I was active. Then one Sunday our District Superintendent came to church and asked me if I was interested […]

Robinson, Dr. Jane Bancroft (1847-1932)

Early Proponent Of The Deaconess Movement Taken from A Woman of the Century: Fourteen hundred-seventy biographical sketches accompanied by portraits of leading American women in all walks of life by Frances Willard and Mary Livermore Jane Bancroft Robinson, daughter of a Methodist minister, studied in the United States, Switzerland, and France, earning many degrees, including a Ph.D. […]

Hartzel, Jennie (1846-??)

Pioneer Missionary Among Freedwomen And Girls Jennie Hartzel began work among the freedwomen in New Orleans in 1876. Her work was approved by officials of the Methodist Episcopal Church and reported through the Freedman’s Aid Society. With Bishop Wiley and Dr. and Mrs. R.S. Rust, she raised funds; and a school with three teachers was […]

Haygood, Laura Askew (1845-1900)

Pioneering MECS Home Missioner And Educational Missionary To China Laura Askew Haygood. Photo from Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27842246/laura-askew-haygood             Born in Watkinsville, Georgia, Laura Haygood moved to Atlanta at age seven, received her early education from her mother, enrolled at Wesleyan Female College, Macon, Georgia at age sixteen, and graduated […]

Marquez, Filipe

Horseback Riding Early Filipino Pastor Felipe Marquez was one of the first Filipino pastors to be ordained. When Nicholas Zamora became the first ordained elder, Felipe Marquez was ordained deacon. Pastor Marquez started his work in Manila and moved to Gerona, Tarlac, as traveling evangelist on horseback. Later in 1903, he was transferred to Dagupan, […]

Alejandro, Dionisio D. (1839-1974) 

Filipino Evangelist And Bishop Dionisio D. Alejandro, at a young age became an interpreter for the American missionaries in his hometown of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija, stirring an early passion for the church. He became an active member of the Methodist young people’s group called the Epworth League, forerunner of the Methodist Youth Fellowship. Rev. […]

Minor, Rüdiger R. (1939-2017)

First United Methodist Bishop In Russia United Methodist Bishop Ruediger R. Minor (center) serves communion during the opening worship of the United Methodist Church’s 2004 General Conference in Pittsburgh. Photo by John C. Goodwin, UMNS. When Bishop Rüdiger (Ruediger) R. Minor became the first United Methodist bishop to reside in Moscow, he was uniquely qualified […]

Baker, James Chamberlain (1879-1969)

Mission Bishop, Ecumenical Leader, And Father Of The Wesley Foundation Movement Bishop James C. Baker. Photo courtesy of the General Commission on Archives and History Bishop James Chamberlain Baker, 1879 – 1969, was a prominent mission bishop and ecumenical mission leader who is likely best remembered as “Father of the Wesley Foundation movement”—student ministries on […]

Chimonyo, Rhodes 

A Treasure Of A Treasurer A key leader in The United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe was Rhodes Chimonyo, a Person in Mission in his own country. Rhodes was a lay person who took over the position of field treasurer from a missionary in 1975. He received the funds from the World Division of the Board […]

Nacpil, Emerito P. (1932 – )

Bishop, Educator, And Evangelist United Methodist Bishop Emerito P. Nacpil issues a challenge for the denomination to make disciples for Christ in the new millennium during the traditional episcopal address at the 2000 General Conference in Cleveland. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose Photo number gc2kB10, Accompanies UMNS# GC-004, 5/2/00 Emerito P. Nacpil was admitted […]