Union College News

Union Alumnus is New Bishop of Kentucky and Red Bird Conferences

Lindsey Davis, a Union College graduate, has been assigned as the bishop of the Louisville Area, which includes the Kentucky and Red Bird Missionary Conferences of the United Methodist Church.

Bishop Davis received the episcopal assignment during a service held on Saturday, July 19, at the 2008 Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference. The assignment formally begins on September 1.

Prior to the new location assignments for the jurisdiction’s 13 bishops, Bishop Davis served the North Georgia Area, including the North Georgia Conference. He was assigned to the North Georgia Area after his election to the episcopacy in July 1996.

Bishop Davis was born in Durham, N.C., but spent many years in Kentucky. He graduated from Union in 1970 and completed a master’s degree at the University of Kentucky in 1972. Bishop Davis’ wife, Jennifer, graduated from Union as well and is a member of the class of ’71. She is a native of Pineville, Ky.

Though his early career focused on higher education administration, Bishop Davis was eventually led to enter the ministry and earn a master’s of divinity at Lexington Theological Seminary. His first appointment was as associate pastor of First United Methodist Church in Lexington, Ky. in 1978. By 1994 he was named superintendent of the Lexington District and, two years later, was elected to the episcopacy. Bishop Davis was named president of the Southeastern Jurisdiction College of Bishops in 2000.

Bishop Davis has been recognized by both Kentucky Wesleyan College and Union College with an honorary doctor of divinity degree.

“We look forward to welcoming Bishop Davis back to Kentucky and working with him to increase awareness of Methodist higher education throughout the churches in the commonwealth, to increase our service to United Methodism by providing our campuses as centers for special activities and programs, and by serving as beacons for quality higher education in a Christian context,” said Edward D. de Rosset, Union College’s president.

In addition to his leadership within the church, Bishop Davis also lends support and guidance to several organizations. He has served on the boards of Clark Atlanta University, Emory University, Gammon Theological Seminary, Boy Scouts of America, Emory Children’s Center and many others. He and his wife also participate in missionary work together.

Bishop Davis and Jennifer have two children. Their son, John Lindsey Davis, is a student at Georgia State University. Laura Davis Miller, their daughter, is an elementary school teacher in Lexington, Ky. The Davises also have three grandchildren.

Union College is a liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. To learn more about Union, visit www.unionky.edu.

August 2, 2008

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