Bishop Graves Assigned to AWF Conference

The Rev. David Graves has been assigned to the Alabama-West Florida Conference and will serve as its bishop for the next four years. The assignment begins Sept. 1.

Senior pastor of Church Street United Methodist Church in Knoxville, Tenn. in the Holston Annual Conference, Rev. Graves was elected Wednesday afternoon, July 13, on the fourth ballot.

“I want to thank you, the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference, for putting your faith in me,” Rev. Graves said after his election. “So we go forth to win people to Christ, see the unseen, transform lives, and help the United Methodist Church change the world.”

Rev. Graves was nominated by the Holston Conference. Prior to being appointed to serve Church Street UMC, he served six years as superintendent for the Kingsport District of the Holston Conference. In 2011 and 2012, he served as dean of the Cabinet.

In his post-election remarks, Rev. Graves thanked Bishop Clay Lee for ordaining him, Bishop Ray Chamberlain for believing in him, and Bishop James Swanson for appointing him as a district superintendent. He thanked his current bishop, Bishop Mary Virginia Taylor “who I have known for 40 years and who was my associate pastor when I was growing up at Fountain City United Methodist Church.”

A reception for Graves and his wife, Nancy, is taking place at the Lambuth Inn and is being hosted by the delegates of the Alabama-West Florida Conference. 

Pastoral Appointments
Fountain City UMC, Knoxville, Tenn.  
Second UMC, Knoxville, Tenn.  
Hixson UMC, Chattanooga, Tenn.  
St. Matthew UMC, Kingsport, Tenn.  
Ooltewah UMC, Ooltewah, Tenn.  
Church Street UMC, Knoxville, Tenn.
Holston Conference Leadership
Delegate to General Conference
Kingsport District Camping Board
Conference Board of Ordained Ministry
Conference Board of Trustees

Other results from the Episcopal appointment session include:
-Bishop-elect Lawson Bryan of the Alabama-West Florida Conference and senior pastor at Montgomery FUMC was appointed to the South Georgia Annual Conference
-Bishop Paul Leeland, current AWF Bishop in residence, was appointed to the Western North Carolina Conference.