Robert Hitchcock Spain

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Robert Hitchcock Spain (October 26, 1925 – September 9, 2022) was an American bishop of the United Methodist Church who was elected in 1988.

Birth and family

Spain was born in

educators. He married Syble Mink of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee

, May 14, 1948. They have two children, Mrs. Philip (Mollie) Johnston, and John Philip Spain. They also have five grandchildren.

Military service and education

At the age of seventeen, Spain joined the

U.S. Navy, serving in the South Pacific until the end of World War II

He then began his education in

Lambuth College

Ordained ministry

While a student, Rev. Spain pastored a circuit of five churches in

Roy H. Short. Following Divinity School

, Rev. Spain served four successive appointments: Livingston, Lebanon, Belle Meade in Nashville, and Brentwood.

Spain served as the superintendent of the

five consecutive quadrennia, being the first elected the last four of them. He served eight years on the General Board of Church and Society, eight years on the General Board of Publications, and four years on the General Council on Ministries. He was a reserve member of the Judicial Council, as well.

Episcopal ministry

Spain was elected to the

of the U.M. Church by the 1988 Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference. He was consecrated to this office on July 16, 1988. Present at his consecration was Bishop Roy H. Short, who had ordained him 30+ years earlier.

Upon his election and consecration, Bishop Spain was assigned to the Louisville Episcopal Area (1988–92), serving as Presiding Bishop of the Louisville and Kentucky Annual Conferences, and of the Red Bird Missionary Conference (located in southeastern Kentucky).^[1]

Upon his retirement August 1992, Bishop Spain taught clergy and laity through the Focus on Ministry seminar, sponsored by the

United Methodist Publishing House in Nashville. Upon the death of Bishop Joseph B. Bethea in South Carolina

, the Southeastern Jurisdictional College of Bishops assigned Bishop Spain to the South Carolina Conference until August 1996.

Death

Spain died on September 9, 2022, at the age of 96.[2]

See also

List of bishops of the United Methodist Church

References

^ Kentucky Conference, Red Bird Missionary Conference, accessed 19 July 2022
^ "Bishop Spain, tireless counselor, dies at 96". UM News. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.

External links

Photo of Bishop Spain
InfoServ, the official information service of The United Methodist Church. [1]
The Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church [2]

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