Lowry, Schnase begin
answering questions
about call to episcopacy
Two Southwest Texas Conference pastors began last week explaining
why they feel called to seek election as bishops.
The Revs. J. Michael Lowry of San Antonio and Robert C. Schnase of
McAllen went to Dallas and Little Rock, Ark., Jan. 16.
In Dallas they were interviewed by delegates from the Central Texas
and North Texas conferences. In Little Rock they were questioned
by Arkansas Conference representatives.
Over the next six months Lowry, 53, senior pastor of University UMC,
San Antonio, and Schnase, 46, senior pastor of First UMC, McAllen,
are to meet with delegations from all 16 conferences in the eight-state
South Central Jurisdiction. It comprises Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana,
Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
The Southwest Texas Conference delegation to the July 14-17 South
Central Jurisdictional Conference in Corpus Christi endorsed Lowry
and Schnase in November as candidates for bishop. They are among
11 announced candidates seeking to fill at least four episcopal vacancies.
Mandatory retirements of Bishops Bruce Blake of Oklahoma City; Albert “Fritz” Mutti
of Topeka, Kan.; Alfred Norris of Houston; and William Oden of Dallas
are creating those vacancies. Other bishops could decide to retire
before they reach 65.
The jurisdictional conference, which meets every four years, elects
and assigns bishops. All bishops are up for reassignment. That means
newly elected bishops may not go to areas where bishops are retiring.
Bishops usually serve eight to 12 years in an assignment.
Endorsement by delegation humbles 2 candidates
Southwest Texas is bucking tradition by endorsing more than one candidate
and not including the first clergy delegate elected for the 2004
meeting.
“The delegation decided to offer two candidates as a way to expand the
pool of quality episcopal candidates,” said the Rev. Kim Cape, first elected
clergy delegate and leader of the delegation. “The Southwest Texas Conference
has a tradition of innovative, cutting-edge leadership and thought it was important
to use a discernment process (to select candidates) based on Acts 15.”
Cape said that through that discernment process, she decided not
to seek election.
“Both Robert and Mike have my full support,” she said.
Lowry said he was “both honored and humbled to be one of the
two people endorsed by our delegation.”
“I look forward to dialogue across the jurisdiction and the entire church
as we seek to recover our Wesleyan Christianity,” Lowry said.
Schnase said he too was humbled by the delegation’s affirmation
of his candidacy. He said he was “enthusiastic about the prospect
of visiting with people throughout the jurisdiction about important
issues facing the church.”
“For both of us and for the delegation,” Schnase added, “I’d
simply ask for the prayers of our colleagues and friends as we are engaged in
the process of selecting episcopal leadership. These decisions deeply affect
the life of our churches.”
Carol Loeb, first elected laity delegate, said the delegation is
running one campaign for both Lowry and Schnase.
“They are both equally qualified,” she said. “They have different
gifts.”
Cape said the discernment process brought the Southwest Texas delegation
together in a powerful way.
“We wrote a relational covenant for the delegation using the H.E.A.R.T.
principles learned in Partners in Ministry that has been emulated in other conferences,” she
said.
Lowry began his ministry in 1976 as associate pastor of Plymouth
Park UMC, Irving. He moved to Southwest Texas in 1977 and served
congregations in Austin, Corpus Christi, Kerrville and Harlingen.
He was appointed senior pastor of 5,125-member University UMC, San
Antonio, in 2001. He oversees a staff of 86.
During Lowry’s two years at University, membership has increased
by 592 and giving has reached an all-time high.
Lowry called uniting evangelism with ministries of justice his “driving
passion.”
Schnase began his ministry in 1981 as a pastoral intern at First
UMC, McAllen. He served two congregations in England from 1982 to
1983 and followed Lowry as pastor of Wesley UMC, Harlingen, from
1984 to 1989.
During his 15 years at First UMC, McAllen, attendance has grown fourfold,
and the congregation moved from downtown to an 18-acre site on the
city’s north side. The 1,160-member congregation has expanded
its bicultural work and is a mission center for South Texas.
At least one other conference—Holston in the Southeastern Jurisdiction—has
endorsed two candidates for bishop this year.
