Ordination Service with Bishop Melvin Talbert
Updated June 25, 2012: A link to Bishop Talbert's sermon notes for his message "Do The Right Thing" has been added.
The Ordination of Deacons and Elders with Commissioning for 2012 was held at the University of Redlands on Saturday, June 16, 2012 in the evening service. The featured preacher was retired United Methodist Bishop Rev. Melvin Talbert.
Bishop Melvin Talbert was ordained Deacon by Bishop Willis J. King, Jr., and was ordained Elder by Bishop Gerald H. Kennedy. After serving as interim at St. John’s (Watts), Associate at Wesley, Los Angeles, and Pastor at Hamilton, Los Angeles, Melvin was named Associate Council Director, Southern California-Arizona Conference. One year later, he was appointed District Superintendent for the Long Beach District. In 1973, Melvin was elected General Secretary for the General Board of Discipleship, Nashville, where he served until he was elected to the episcopacy in 1980 and was assigned to the Seattle Area. He was assigned to the San Francisco Area in 1988, where he retired August 31, 2000. He is a trustee and Chair of the Board at Gammon, and at various times served as trustee at University of Puget Sound, Claremont School of Theology, and Pacific School of Religion. His civil rights protest experiences impacted his life profoundly, and he takes pride in having spent three days and nights in jail with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He is a sports enthusiast, loves camping, a hacker golfer, and plays a little guitar.
Bishop Talbert was a member of the General Council on Ministries, and was Chair of its Missional Priority Coordinating Committee 1976-84; a member of the General Commission on Religion and Race, 1980-88, and served as its President 1983-88; and a member of the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns 1988-96 and 2000-04. He was a director of the National Council of Churches (NCCCUSA) from mid 1970s – August 2004, and served as its President 1996-97. He was a member of the World Methodist Council Executive Committee, and the World Council of Churches Central Committee (its Executive Committee and Finance Committee). Talbert was Ecumenical Officer for the Council of Bishops 2000-04, and served as Interim Executive Director of Black Methodists for Church Renewal, Inc.
Bishop Talbert's inspirational sermon during the service can be seen below. For your reference, Bishop Talbert has provided a copy of his notes for this message.
The Worship Order for the Service of Ordination can be found here.