B. Michael Watson
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B. Michael Watson (born July 3, 1949) is a
bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
of
The United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelica ...
, elected in 2000. He served as
resident bishop A bishop is a senior role in many Methodist denominations. The bishop's role is typically called the "episcopacy", based on the Greek word ''episkopos'' (), which literally means overseer. Superintendent is another translation of ''episkopos'' but i ...
of the
North Georgia Annual Conference The North Georgia Conference is a regional episcopal area, (similar to a diocese) of the United Methodist Church. (Not to be confused with the "Annual Conference" which is the yearly meeting of the North Georgia Conference itself.) This conference ...
, which comprises 1,000 churches, more than 1,500 clergy members, and more than 320,000 lay members. He retired in 2016 and currently serves as ecumenical officer of the Council of Bishops.


Education

Watson received a bachelor of science degree in finance and real estate from the
University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and la ...
, a master of divinity degree from
Candler School of Theology Candler School of Theology is one of seven graduate schools at Emory University, located in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. A university-based school of theology, Candler educates ministers, scholars of religion and other leaders. It is also one ...
and a doctor of ministry degree from
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...
.


Ordained ministry

Prior to his election to the episcopacy, Watson served as a pastor in the Alabama-West Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church. He was ordained deacon in 1972 and elder in 1976 in the Alabama-West Florida
Annual Conference A conference is a meeting of two or more experts to discuss and exchange opinions or new information about a particular topic. Conferences can be used as a form of group decision-making, although discussion, not always decisions, are the main pu ...
. He served Decatur First United Methodist Church in
Decatur, Georgia Decatur is a city in, and the county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, which is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. With a population of 24,928 in the 2020 census, the municipality is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple ZIP Codes in ...
, from 1973 to 1974, while he was a student at
Candler School of Theology Candler School of Theology is one of seven graduate schools at Emory University, located in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. A university-based school of theology, Candler educates ministers, scholars of religion and other leaders. It is also one ...
. In his home conference, he served Aldersgate UMC in
Molino, Florida Molino is a census-designated place (CDP) in Escambia County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,277 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Pensacola– Ferry Pass– Brent Metropolitan Statistical Area. Geography Molino is loc ...
, from 1975 to 1977 and Christ UMC in
Milton, Florida Milton is a city in and the county seat of Santa Rosa County, Florida, located in the Pensacola– Ferry Pass– Brent Metropolitan Statistical Area, also known as the Pensacola Metropolitan Area. Milton is located in the geographic center ...
, from 1977 to 1979. He was founding pastor of Covenant UMC in
Dothan, Alabama Dothan () is a city in Dale, Henry, and Houston counties and the Houston county seat in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is Alabama's eighth-largest city, with a population of 71,072 at the 2020 census. It is near the state's southeastern corner, ...
, where he served from 1979 to 1990. He was appointed to Dauphin Way UMC in
Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...
, in 1990, where he served until he was elected bishop in the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church in 2000. He was consecrated a bishop at a service of consecration held at
Lake Junaluska, North Carolina Lake Junaluska is a census-designated place (CDP) in Haywood County, North Carolina, United States, and a manmade lake in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area. Lake Junaluska is named after nearby ...
July 15, 2000. Watson served two quadrennia as
resident bishop A bishop is a senior role in many Methodist denominations. The bishop's role is typically called the "episcopacy", based on the Greek word ''episkopos'' (), which literally means overseer. Superintendent is another translation of ''episkopos'' but i ...
of the South Georgia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. In 2008 he was appointed
resident bishop A bishop is a senior role in many Methodist denominations. The bishop's role is typically called the "episcopacy", based on the Greek word ''episkopos'' (), which literally means overseer. Superintendent is another translation of ''episkopos'' but i ...
of the
North Georgia Annual Conference The North Georgia Conference is a regional episcopal area, (similar to a diocese) of the United Methodist Church. (Not to be confused with the "Annual Conference" which is the yearly meeting of the North Georgia Conference itself.) This conference ...
of The United Methodist Church. His office is at The United Methodist Center in the grounds of Simpsonwood Conference and Retreat Center in Norcross, Georgia.


Boards and committees

* Chair, World Methodist Council Personnel Committee * Delegate, World Methodist Conference: Singapore, 1991; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1996; Brighton, England, 2001; Seoul, Korea, 2006 * Chair, Central Conference Pension Initiative of The United Methodist Church, $25M goal * Steering Committee Chair, Campaign Emory - Candler School of Theology, $60M goal * Chair, Board of Directors of the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits 2008-2012 Watson serves on the Board of Trustees for: Gammon Theological School,
Clark Atlanta University Clark Atlanta University (CAU or Clark Atlanta) is a private, Methodist, historically black research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Clark Atlanta is the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Southern United States. Found ...
,
Emory University Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...
, LaGrange College,
Oxford College of Emory University Oxford College of Emory University (Oxford College) is a residential college of Emory University, a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Oxford college is located in Oxford and specializes in the foundations of liberal arts educati ...
, Paine College,
Reinhardt University Reinhardt University is a private university in Waleska, Georgia. The university has an off-campus center in Alpharetta and offers some programs in Cartersville, Marietta, and Canton, and online. Reinhardt is affiliated with the United Methodi ...
, Wesleyan College,
Young Harris College Young Harris College is a private Methodist-affiliated liberal arts college in Young Harris, Georgia, United States. History Origins The school was founded in 1886 by Artemas Lester, a circuit-riding Methodist minister who wanted to pr ...
, United Methodist Children’s Home, Georgia United Methodist Foundation, Camp Glisson, Simpsonwood Conference and Retreat Center, Wesley Woods Senior Living, and the Methodist Foundation for Retired Ministers.


Publications

* ''
The Upper Room The Cenacle (from the Latin , "dining room"), also known as the Upper Room (from the Koine Greek and , both meaning "upper room"), is a room in Mount Zion in Jerusalem, just outside the Old City walls, traditionally held to be the site of t ...
'', daily devotional, November - December, 1987: United Methodist Publishing House * ''The Living Pulpit'', April - June, 1998, New York Theological Seminary * Adult Bible Studies, Fall 2008 Lessons, Nashville, Tennessee: United Methodist Publishing House


Personal

Watson is married to Margaret Lee Watson. They have two adult children, Ben Watson and Elizabeth Watson Riddle, and four grandchildren.


See also

* List of bishops of the United Methodist Church * Biography of Bishop B. Michael Watso


References

*InfoServ, the official information service of The United Methodist Church. *The Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church Council of Bishops - UMC.org
/ref> *2010 Report of the North Georgia Annual Conference to the United Methodist Churc


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, B. Michael Candler School of Theology alumni United Methodist bishops of the Southeastern Jurisdiction Living people 1949 births University of Alabama alumni Vanderbilt University alumni Paine College people