William Boyd Grove
Bishop William Boyd Grove
Retired
United States
Northeastern Jurisdiction
Bishop William Boyd Grove is a retired Bishop of The United Methodist Church, having served from 1980-1996.------------------------
William Boyd Grove was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Bethany College (B.A.), Drew University School of Theology (M. Div.), and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (D.Min.). He has received several honorary degrees, and alumni awards from Bethany College, Drew University and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He was presented the Distinguished West Virginian Award by Governor Gaston Caperton in 1992.
He was received into the Pittsburgh Conference and was ordained deacon and elder by Bishop Lloyd C. Wicke. He served churches in western Pennsylvania from 1954 until his election as bishop.
William Boyd Grove was elected to the episcopacy by the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference in 1980 and was assigned to the West Virginia Episcopal Area [1980-1992] and the Albany (NY) Episcopal Area [1992-1996]. He retired from the active episcopacy in 1996.
He has served as President of the General Board of Church and Society [1984-1988], and as President of the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns [1988-1996]. From 1996 2000, Bishop Grove served as Ecumenical Officer of the Council of Bishops, the first person to hold that office. He chaired the United Methodist delegations to the National Council of Churches, the Consultation on Church Union and the Eighth Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1998. He co-chaired the continuing Dialogue between the United Methodist Church and the Roman Catholic Church from 1996-2000.
Bill is a poet and hymn writer, and is a member of the Order of St. Luke, which is committed to liturgical and sacramental renewal. He has traveled widely and has preached throughout the world.
Mary Lou Naylor and William Boyd Grove were graduated from Bethany College in 1951, and on July 29, 1951, were married in Franklin Street Church, Johnstown, PA, where they had gone to Sunday School and Methodist Youth Fellowship together. The Groves have two daughters, Susan and Rebecca, and five grandchildren: Hannah, Gretchen, Carissa, Daniel and Sarah.
Mailing Address
3207 Bristol Highway, #302
Johnson City,
Tennessee
37601
United States of America