Bishop Julius C. Trimble was assigned, July 16, 2016, to the Indiana Episcopal Area or Indiana Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church – (INUMC), by the 184 delegates of the 2016 North Central Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church in Peoria, Illinois. He was elected and consecrated a bishop by the same jurisdiction in 2008 and served eight years as the resident bishop of the Iowa Conference of The United Methodist before his current assignment to Indiana.

Trimble, a native of Chicago and a graduate of Illinois State University, earned his Master of Divinity degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Chicago and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio.

Trimble, ordained a deacon and elder in the Northern Illinois Conference of The United Methodist Church, served two churches in his home conference before receiving an appointment in and transferring his membership to the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church (EOUMC).

During his ministry in EOUMC, Trimble served churches in the Cleveland area and as the Superintendent of the Cleveland District from 1996-2003.

Trimble has preached throughout the United States, Africa and the Holy Land. He is also the recipient of many honors and awards, including the Outstanding Alumni Award in 1998 from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, the 2007 Bishop James S. Thomas Social Action Award from the Methodist Federation for Social Action at Lakeside, Ohio, and a Doctor of Divinity from United Seminary in 2017 for work in social justice.

As a general superintendent (bishop) of the Church, he continues to promote faith-based responses to domestic and trauma community, as well as encourages the establishment of mental health ministries at the local church and conference level. He is also an active advocate for social justice, faith-based initiatives to address gun violence, as well as immigration reform.

In 2015, his book, “A Faithful Church, and a Healthy World: Reflections and Poems,” was published by the Iowa Conference of The United Methodist Church to support The United Methodist Church’s ongoing-initiative Imagine No Malaria. Additionally, in 2015, he received the Peace and Justice Award from the Iowa Conference Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA).
 
During the December 2017 Advent Commencement of United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, Trimble delivered the commencement address and received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in recognition of his exceptional spiritual leadership, compassion for all people, and powerful witness to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Ohio-based seminary noted his engagement in faith-based work to address social justice issues, as well as his work of advocacy for the United Methodist Global Health Initiative, especially in the efforts, make the world malaria and AIDS-free.

Bishop Trimble married First Lady Racelder Grandberry-Trimble, a professional counselor and graduate of Methodist Theological School in Ohio, in May 1979. The couple has three adult children: Cameron, Candiace (Herman Wake), and Julius Thomas. In June 2018, the Trimbles celebrated the birth of their first granddaughter, Corrine.

Bishop Trimble’s mission statement is “to encourage all people with the love of Jesus Christ to rise to their highest potential” or “Be Encouraged” for short.

Trimble currently serves as chairperson of the Development Committee and the Advisory Development Committee for Africa University, chairperson of the United Methodist Global AIDS Committee (UMGAC), serves on the Council of Bishops Immigration Task Force and is a Board member of Indiana University Health System.

Trimble preached his first sermon when he was 16 years old based on the conversion of Saul in Acts 9:1-9 entitled “Picked out to be picked on.”
 
His latest book, 10 Reasons I am a Methodist was published in 2022 by Popular Truth Publishing.