Dear Friends,
South Carolina’s United Methodists are getting a new bishop. The Jurisdictional Committee on the Episcopacy, the connectional body that decides where bishops will serve, announced last night that Bishop Leonard Fairley will become our bishop effective September 1st.
Bishop Fairley served as a pastor, district superintendent, and in many levels of conference leadership in the North Carolina Conference before his election. Since his election in 2012, Bishop Fairley has served as bishop of the Kentucky Conference. I am impressed by what I have learned about Bishop Fairley and am confident he will be a good leader for South Carolina. I look forward to meeting and working with Bishop Fairley as we move forward together in mission and ministry.
South Carolina owes a debt of gratitude to our current bishop, Jonathan Holston. Bishop Holston has served us faithfully through his many years as our bishop. Bishop Holston will leave us to serve as bishop of both the North Alabama Conference and the Alabama-West Florida Conference.
Please join me in praying for Bishop Fairley, his wife Dawn, and the leadership of the South Carolina Conference during this time of transition. Let us pray also for Bishop Holston and Mrs. Holston in their time of transition to Alabama.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Thomas Smith