William Bobby McClain

The following comments were made by the Rev. Alfred T. Day, III, General Secretary for the General Commission on Archives and History for the United Methodist Church, in an email newsletter in November 2020.

GCAH Commissioner and Vice President William Bobby McClain passed away yesterday.

Let light perpetual shine on him, Lord,

And from him to us Lord,

as he rests in peace.

Bobby McClain was not only a leader in preserving and promoting the history of the UMC, he was more—a history-maker, especially in regards to the history of African American Methodists and their seminal and continuous influence on the denomination’s past, present and future.

He was a giant and his immense influence as a church historian, homiletician, molder of the minds of United Methodist leading clergy, congregations and members of the academy will be felt for generations.

Songs of Zion, the song and liturgy book and his Black People in the Methodist Church: Whither Thou Goest will allow his voice to influence the UMC for years to come.

He has been throughout his lifetime and will continue through his writings to be the uncompromising voice of history, fearless in calling-out inequities, injustices, racism and just as tireless in moving the UMC forward in faithful service to its baptismal vows of renouncing the forces of racism’s evil wickedness in the many forms they present themselves. He gave his life to Jesus Christ as the means to engage the shame and pains of the UMC’s historic racism and truly press on to God’s future of freedom and power that is ignited by the Holy Spirit.

It was a high honor and privilege to serve with him as one of the leaders of GCAH.