Emerson Stephen Colaw
Encyclopedia
Emerson Stephen Colaw is a retired American
Bishop
of the United Methodist Church
, elected in 1980. Emerson distinguished himself as a Methodist Pastor
, a member of Annual Conference
and General U.M. Agencies, a Bishop, and a U.M. Seminary
Professor
and Acting President
.
. He married Jane Elizabeth Curry of East McKeesport, Pennsylvania
on August 26, 1942. They have four children: Prudence, Deborah, Marcella, and David.
. He earned the Bachelor of Divinity
degree, magna cum laude, in 1947 from Drew Theological Seminary. He has done graduate work at Union Theological Seminary
in New York City
, and at Lutheran School of Theology
in Chicago
. Bishop Colaw received honorary doctorates from five different institutions.
Annual Conference
of the Methodist Church in 1947. That fall, however, he transferred to the Northern Illinois
Annual Conference, where he served three different pastorates over a fourteen year period. In 1961 Rev. Colaw was appointed to the Hyde Park
Community United Methodist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio
(West Ohio
Annual Conference). It was from this appointment Rev. Colaw was elected to the Episcopacy by the North Central Jurisdictional Conference of the U.M. Church, July 1980.
Rev. Colaw was a Jurisdictional and General Conference delegate 1968-80. He also was a member of the General Conference Commission on Doctrine and Doctrinal Standards.
Bishop Colaw has been the recipient of numerous ecumenical awards. He retired in 1988. He then became Professor
of Homiletics
and Christian Ministry at United Theological Seminary
, Dayton, Ohio
, 1988-99. He also was the Acting President of the Seminary, 1995-96. Upon his second retirement he became Bishop in Residence at the North Naples United Methodist Church, Naples, Florida
during winters. He also relaxes with golf, reading, and for many years was active in Rotary International
.
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 1980. Emerson distinguished himself as a Methodist Pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
, a member of 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...
and General U.M. Agencies, a Bishop, and a U.M. Seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
and Acting President
Acting president
An Acting President is a person who temporarily fills the role of an organization's or country's president, either when the real president is unavailable or when the post is vacant .-See also:*Acting *Acting President of Pakistan*Acting President of Malta*Acting President of...
.
Birth and Family
Bishop Colaw was born in Chanute, KansasChanute, Kansas
Chanute is a city in Neosho County, Kansas, United States. Founded on January 1, 1873, it was named after railroad engineer and aviation pioneer Octave Chanute. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,119...
. He married Jane Elizabeth Curry of East McKeesport, Pennsylvania
East McKeesport, Pennsylvania
East McKeesport is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 2,126 at the 2010 census.-Geography:East McKeesport is located at ....
on August 26, 1942. They have four children: Prudence, Deborah, Marcella, and David.
Education
Colaw earned the B.S. degree in 1944 from the University of CincinnatiUniversity of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
. He earned the 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, magna cum laude, in 1947 from Drew Theological Seminary. He has done graduate work at Union Theological Seminary
Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York
Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York is a preeminent independent graduate school of theology, located in Manhattan between Claremont Avenue and Broadway, 120th to 122nd Streets. The seminary was founded in 1836 under the Presbyterian Church, and is affiliated with nearby Columbia...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and at Lutheran School of Theology
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago is a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Its degree programs include Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Philosophy. It offers concentrations in urban ministry, Bible, environment,...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Bishop Colaw received honorary doctorates from five different institutions.
Ordained Ministry
Ordained a Deacon in 1945 by Bishop H. Lester Smith, and an Elder in 1947 by Bishop G. Bromley Oxnam, Rev. Colaw became a Member in Full Connection of the New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
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 in 1947. That fall, however, he transferred to the Northern Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Annual Conference, where he served three different pastorates over a fourteen year period. In 1961 Rev. Colaw was appointed to the Hyde Park
Hyde Park, Ohio
Hyde Park is a neighborhood on the east side of Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1998, the average home sales price was $248,512.Hyde Park is an eclectic neighborhood in eastern Cincinnati...
Community United Methodist Church in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
(West Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
Annual Conference). It was from this appointment Rev. Colaw was elected to the Episcopacy by the North Central Jurisdictional Conference of the U.M. Church, July 1980.
Rev. Colaw was a Jurisdictional and General Conference delegate 1968-80. He also was a member of the General Conference Commission on Doctrine and Doctrinal Standards.
Episcopal Ministry
The Rev. Emerson Stephen Colaw was elected to the Episcopacy by the 1980 North Central Jurisdictional Conference of the U.M. Church. As a Bishop he served on the General Board of Discipleship, the General Council on Finance and Administration, the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, and as Chairperson of the Commission to Study the Mission of the Church during the 1984-88 quadrennium.Bishop Colaw has been the recipient of numerous ecumenical awards. He retired in 1988. He then became Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Homiletics
Homiletics
Homiletics , in theology the application of the general principles of rhetoric to the specific department of public preaching. The one who practices or studies homiletics is called a homilist....
and Christian Ministry at United Theological Seminary
United Theological Seminary
United Theological Seminary is a United Methodist seminary in Trotwood, Ohio, United States, in the Dayton metropolitan area. Founded in 1869 by Milton Wright, it was originally sponsored by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ...
, Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, 1988-99. He also was the Acting President of the Seminary, 1995-96. Upon his second retirement he became Bishop in Residence at the North Naples United Methodist Church, Naples, Florida
Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of July 1, 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 21,653. Naples is a principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated total population of 315,839 on July 1, 2007...
during winters. He also relaxes with golf, reading, and for many years was active in Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
.