Keaton assigned to Illinois Area

Paul Black

7/19/2012

Greetings to Bishop Keaton

Persons wishing to send greetings or welcome to Bishop Jonathan Keaton may do so by emailing bishopsoffice@miareaumc.org between now and Sept. 1. After Sept. 1, persons may email bishop@igrc.org. Those who have already sent email messages, they have been forwarded to Bishop Keaton per his request.

AKRON, Ohio -- Bishop Jonathan Keaton has been assigned as episcopal leader of the Illinois Area, effective Sept. 1.

Keaton, currently bishop of the Michigan Area, will succeed Bishop Gregory V. Palmer, who has been assigned to West Ohio after a single term in Illinois.

Bishops Michael Coyner and John Hopkins were assigned for a third four-year term to Indiana and East Ohio respectively. Both have completed eight years in their areas.

Bishop Bruce Ough, who has completed 12 years as episcopal leader in West Ohio, will be going to the new episcopal area formed by the joining of the Dakotas and Minnesota conferences. Although remaining separate conferences, Ough will have presidential responsibilities over both conferences.

The complete listing of assignments are as follows:

Indiana Area: Bishop Michael Coyner (3rd term)
Iowa Area: Bishop Julius Trimble
Dakotas/Minnesota Area: Bishop Bruce Ough
Michigan Area: Bishop Deborah Kiesey
West Ohio: Bishop Gregory V. Palmer
Chicago Area: Bishop Sally Dyck
Ohio East: Bishop John Hopkins (3rd term)
Illinois Area: Bishop Jonathan Keaton
Wisconsin Area: Bishop Hee-Soo Jung

Keaton was elected to the episcopacy in 1996. Prior to that, he served as a District Superintendent in the Northern Illinois Conference.

He was a member of the conference staff responsible for monitoring the church's stand on social issues, providing support and encouragement for ethnic local churches and promoting spiritual formation. Keaton also has served churches in Chicago and Rockford and was a teaching assistant at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, where he earned a Master's of Divinity and Doctorate in Sacred Theology. Keaton teaches in numerous conference Schools of Christian Mission. Currently, Bishop Keaton chairs the denomination's Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century Committee.

He has traveled extensively in support of world missions.

In 1967 he received the Outstanding Service Award from Philander Smith College, Little Rock Ark., where he did his undergraduate work. Also, Garrett Evangelical presented Bishop Keaton with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2001.

Keaton and his wife, Beverly, have three children: Jonathan II, Tandreka and Anaya. They have one grandchild, Maliah Hope Keaton.

Comments

1. Joe Scheets wrote on 7/19/2012 12:00:00 AM

Simply a ditto, to echo what Linda Richard and Robt Morwell wrote. Will only add another "Wow."

2. Linda Richard wrote on 7/19/2012 12:00:00 AM

I am so disappointed not to be able to have a formal farewell for the Palmers. Really did not see this coming. Wonder where this comes from?

3. Robert Morwell wrote on 7/19/2012 12:00:00 AM

Wow. Really didn;t see that coming. I will miss Bishop Palmer, and I pray that Bishop Keaton will prove to be as inspirational and personable.

4. Howard White wrote on 7/20/2012 8:55:29 AM

I'm deeply grateful to Bishop Palmer for reminding our conference we serve a God of abundance, not scarcity.

5. Tonya Nichols wrote on 7/20/2012 10:52:40 AM

Thank you Bishop Palmer for your compassion and inspiration. It is a bittersweet goodbye because I hate to see you leave but I know God is sending you on a new path where you are needed to spread the Word of our Savior. God bless you and your new journey.

6. Robert E.Sabo,Sr. wrote on 7/20/2012 7:11:35 PM

Bishop Palmer has brought a new insight for justice and peace into our Conference. He has been very open minded, with an open heart and always seemed to be one that the door of his life was open to see into.God bless you as you travel ion.

7. Jennifer Seder wrote on 7/20/2012 8:37:18 PM

I have been inspired by Bishop Palmer and as the IGRC we have been blessed by his tremendous leadership.

8. Beth Nelson wrote on 7/21/2012 8:52:37 AM

It looks like our new bishop has an strong interest in mission and knows Illinois. I didn't now what a treasure Bishop Palmer was before he came here, so I can only anticipate another gift waiting to unfold, both here and for the folks in Ohio.

9. Rose M Booker-Jones wrote on 7/21/2012 4:23:27 PM

I thank God for the opportunity to serve under great leadership. Bishop Palmer has been a blessing to all of us. God is always doing a new thing. Bishop Keaton will bless us and will continue to move us forward with grace, great wisdom, and the love of Jesus Christ. An exciting time for us.

10. Tom Logsdon wrote on 7/21/2012 8:54:52 PM

Thank you, Bishop Palmer, for your ministry among us. You will be missed. I hope the People Called Methodist in Illinois were as good to you as you have been to us.

11. Troy Benton wrote on 7/22/2012 1:25:58 AM

Thank you Bishop Palmer for excellence, grace, and passion. Thank you Bishop Keaton for care, prayers, and the unknown to many but some of us overwhelming giffs you bring. We await your leadership with great joy in the midst of our sorrow for the transitioning of our current beloved bishop!

12. Pat Fuller wrote on 7/22/2012 11:58:31 AM

Best wishes to Bishop Palmer and his family. He has been a blessing to our conference. I look forward to working with Bishop Keaton.

13. Patty J Rigg wrote on 7/22/2012 5:08:47 PM

Best wishes goes to Bilshop Palmer and his family. I was surprised to hear of his moving. Was talking to John Clark this morning and asked if he knew anything. Bishop Keaton will I'm sure be a blessing as Bishop Palmer was. Welcome back to Illinois Bishop Keaton. May God be with you Bishop Palmer in your new journey in life.

14. Janet Longtin wrote on 7/23/2012 12:00:00 AM

Wow surprised to see this. Bishop Palmer has been such a blessing to this conference and will be greatly missed. His openness, his ability to tell it like it is has helped this conference grow. He will be missed. As "people called Methodist" we know that no appointment will be forever.

15. Richard Lewis wrote on 7/23/2012 8:03:33 PM

I am disappointed by the news that Bishop Palmer will be leaving the Illinois Great Rivers Conference. I have felt the Holy Spirit working through him, and have been fed by his preaching and leadership. I know God will use him where he is assigned, and God is with us as we welcome Bishop Keaton to our conference. We will be praying for both Bishops and their families in this transition.

16. Eleanor Howell wrote on 7/25/2012 2:03:41 PM

It felt like a punch in my solar plexus when I read the news re Bishop Palmer's leaving IGRC. I will miss a master preacher, a growth leader, a committed servant of the Lord Jesus.

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