Clay Foster Lee Jr
Encyclopedia
Clay Foster Lee, Jr. is a retired American
Bishop
of the United Methodist Church
, elected in 1988.
. On 27 May 1951 he married Dorothy “Dot” Stricklin (who was born 14 January 1932). They have five children: Cecilia Ann Lee, Jack Stricklin Lee, Lisa Margaret Lee Mullins, Timothy Clay Lee, and Melanie Kay Lee Bernheim. Bishop and Mrs. Lee also have eight grandchildren.
public schools, graduating from R.H. Watkins High School. He was the recipient of the Lauren Eastman Rogers Award as Honor Student for the entire school. He earned his B.A.
degree from Millsaps College
in 1951, and his Bachelor of Divinity
degree from Emory University
’s Candler School of Theology
in 1953. While at Millsaps, he was a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa
Leadership Fraternity
and received the Galloway Medal in 1951 for the best sermon
preached by a ministerial student.
Bishop Lee was awarded the D.D. degree by Millsaps College (1985) and the Doctor of Letters
degree by Tennessee Wesleyan College
(1990).
(1952) and Elder by Bishop Marvin A. Franklin (1954). Rev. Lee's first pastorate was the Unity Charge in the Mississippi Annual Conference
of the Methodist Church, which he began serving in 1949. Subsequently, Rev. Lee served the Capitol Street Church in Jackson
as Associate Pastor; as the Pastor of the Raymond
Church; The First Methodist Church in Quitman
; Galloway Memorial Church as Minister of Evangelism
; Philadelphia's First Methodist; and the Leavell Woods Church in Jackson. Rev. Lee then was appointed the Executive Director
of the Conference Council on Ministry; then as Superintendent of the Brookhaven
District, and finally as the Senior Minister of the Galloway Memorial U.M.C. in Jackson.
He was elected Delegate to General and Jurisdictional Conferences, 1976-88.
General Board of Pensions for three quadrennia, serving as President
1992-96 (also Chairperson of the Committee on Disability
, 1984-88). He was a Trustee
of Millsaps College, 1974-86 (Secretary
1980-86). During 1992-96, he served as Chairperson of The Appalachian Development Committee. Serving on the Mississippi Religious Leadership Conference, he was Vice Chairperson in 1988. While in Knoxville
he served seven years on the Board of Directors
of The United Way of Greater Knoxville. He was also the Secretary of the Joint Committee
on Communication
s of the U.M. Southeastern and South Central Jurisdictions in 1984, and Chairperson 1992-96.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, elected in 1988.
Birth and Family
Clay was born 2 March 1930 in Laurel, MississippiLaurel, Mississippi
Laurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
. On 27 May 1951 he married Dorothy “Dot” Stricklin (who was born 14 January 1932). They have five children: Cecilia Ann Lee, Jack Stricklin Lee, Lisa Margaret Lee Mullins, Timothy Clay Lee, and Melanie Kay Lee Bernheim. Bishop and Mrs. Lee also have eight grandchildren.
Education
Clay attended Laurel, MississippiLaurel, Mississippi
Laurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
public schools, graduating from R.H. Watkins High School. He was the recipient of the Lauren Eastman Rogers Award as Honor Student for the entire school. He earned his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from Millsaps College
Millsaps College
Millsaps College is a private liberal arts college located in Jackson, Mississippi. Founded in 1890, the college is recognized as one of the country's best private colleges dedicated to undergraduate teaching and educating the whole individual. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Millsaps...
in 1951, and his Bachelor of Divinity
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree from Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
’s Candler School of Theology
Candler School of Theology
Candler School of Theology, Emory University, is one of 13 seminaries of the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1914, the school was named after Warren Akin Candler, a former President and Chancellor of Emory University and a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South...
in 1953. While at Millsaps, he was a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa, or ΟΔΚ, also known as The Circle, or more commonly ODK, is a national leadership honor society. It was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, by 15 student and faculty leaders. Chapters, known as Circles, are located on over 300...
Leadership Fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
and received the Galloway Medal in 1951 for the best sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
preached by a ministerial student.
Bishop Lee was awarded the D.D. degree by Millsaps College (1985) and the Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
degree by Tennessee Wesleyan College
Tennessee Wesleyan College
Tennessee Wesleyan College is a small liberal arts college founded in 1857, located in the East Tennessee city of Athens. It is affiliated with the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church...
(1990).
Ordained Ministry
Clay was ordained Deacon by Bishop Arthur J. MooreArthur James Moore
Arthur James Moore was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South , the Methodist Church, and the United Methodist Church, elected in 1930.-Birth and family:...
(1952) and Elder by Bishop Marvin A. Franklin (1954). Rev. Lee's first pastorate was the Unity Charge in the Mississippi Annual Conference
Annual Conference
An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...
of the Methodist Church, which he began serving in 1949. Subsequently, Rev. Lee served the Capitol Street Church in Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
as Associate Pastor; as the Pastor of the Raymond
Raymond, Mississippi
Raymond is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,664. Raymond is one of the two county seats of Hinds County and is the home of the main campus of Hinds Community College....
Church; The First Methodist Church in Quitman
Quitman, Mississippi
Quitman is a city in Clarke County, Mississippi, USA, along the Chickasawhay River. The population was 2,463 at the 2000 census. The county seat of Clarke County, it is the hometown of San Antonio Spurs power forward Antonio McDyess and the birthplace of writer Wyatt Emory Cooper.-Geography:Quitman...
; Galloway Memorial Church as Minister of Evangelism
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
; Philadelphia's First Methodist; and the Leavell Woods Church in Jackson. Rev. Lee then was appointed the Executive Director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
of the Conference Council on Ministry; then as Superintendent of the Brookhaven
Brookhaven, Mississippi
Brookhaven is a small city in Lincoln County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 9,861 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County...
District, and finally as the Senior Minister of the Galloway Memorial U.M.C. in Jackson.
He was elected Delegate to General and Jurisdictional Conferences, 1976-88.
Service to the Greater Community
Bishop Lee served as a member of the U.M.United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
General Board of Pensions for three quadrennia, serving as President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
1992-96 (also Chairperson of the Committee on Disability
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
, 1984-88). He was a Trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of Millsaps College, 1974-86 (Secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
1980-86). During 1992-96, he served as Chairperson of The Appalachian Development Committee. Serving on the Mississippi Religious Leadership Conference, he was Vice Chairperson in 1988. While in Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
he served seven years on the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of The United Way of Greater Knoxville. He was also the Secretary of the Joint Committee
Joint committee
A Joint Committee is a term in politics that is used to refer to a committee made up of members of both chambers of a bicameral legislature. In other contexts, it refers to a committee with members from more than one organization.-Republic of Ireland:...
on Communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
s of the U.M. Southeastern and South Central Jurisdictions in 1984, and Chairperson 1992-96.
Episcopal Ministry
Bishop Lee was elected to the Episcopacy July 1988 by the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference of the U.M. Church. He was assigned to the Knoxville Episcopal Area. He is now retired and living in Jackson, Mississippi.Selected Writings
- Jesus Never Said Everyone Was Loveable, Abingdon Press. (Bishop Lee's sermons as the 1987 Speaker for "The Protestant Hour" radio broadcasts)