Celebrating nearly 100 years of service: SCJ honors two retiring bishops

BY JOE DAN BOYD
Special Correspondent

My life flows on in song, above earth’s lamentation,
I hear the sweet though far off
hymn that hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the
strife I hear the music ringing;
it fi nds an echo in my soul—how
can I keep from singing?
–Words & music by Robert Lowry, 1860

Those words of Robert Lowry, fresh and full, with no hint of antebellum origin, rang from the rafters of The Dallas Hilton Anatole Hotel’s Texas-sized Dallas ballroom on July 18 during the retirement service of the 2008 South Central Jurisdictional (SCJ) Conference.

On this sizzling summer day, SCJ delegates and worship leaders celebrated 97 years of service by two retiring bishops with this ancient song of assurance, led by the rich baritone of Rev. Marc Corazao, Floral Heights UMC, Wichita Falls. Retiring Bishop Benjamin Chamness credited his 49 years of service, in part, to his parents for bringing him up in the Christian faith, and, in part, to his wife Joy for her love, her many sacrifices and her faith, which he described as even stronger than his own.

In addition, Bishop Chamness cited the early influence of his teachers and professors at Centenary College and Perkins School of Theology. “Without our Methodist institutions, I would not have had the tools to serve, or to carve out a path for abundant life, emphasizing the social gospel for transformation of the world.”

He was introduced by fellow Bishop Woodrow Hearn, a previous retiree, who noted that Bishop Chamness was ordained to ministry during the 1960s, elected to the Episcopacy in 2000, and established a history of increasing membership and promoting 100 percent payment of apportionments everywhere he served. His years as an active bishop have been in Texas, including service as Bishop of the Fort Worth area.

Bishop Chamness ended his own remarks on a light note: “I have heard numerousretirement speeches, but the one that is most memorable to me was just a single sentence by an African-American woman: ‘The Good Book says to let the redeemed of the Lord say so.’ Then she paused, added the word ‘So,’ and sat down. “It has been a great journey and I would take nothing for it,”

Bishop Chamness’ wife Joy added her own touch of humor with the story of her husband’s wedding promise to her: “Ben promised that he would always take me somewhere special on our wedding anniversary, and he never failed to take me withhim to Annual Conference!”

In his introduction of retiring Bishop Joel Martinez, fellow Bishop Dan Solomon, himself a previous retiree, called Bishop Martinez an early leader for Christ as a three-sport athlete in high school, who would eventually graduate from the Lydia Patterson Institute and from Perkins School of Theology, which would later name Bishop Martinez a Distinguished Alumni.

“While serving churches in the Rio Grande Valley Conference, his arms of love and compassion have reached around a multitude of persons,” added Bishop Solomon. “He has a passion for the kind of ministry that empowers people to be fruitful and faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.

“What a gift he has: A real Barnabas in our midst,” emphasized Bishop Solomon, who described Bishop Martinez as having a passion for the marginalized and, especially, for migrantministry.

“His remarkable life is marked by the thread of mission in his ministry, including four years as president of the Board of Global Ministries. He is not simply a pastor in name, but he is also a pastor in his heart,” concluded Bishop Solomon.

Bishop Martinez, during his own remarks, explained that the Spanish word for retirement is rooted in joy, just as his own faith journey began in the home of his parents and his two brothers: “There, the song was sung.”

Ordained as a Deacon and an Elder in the 1960s, Bishop Martinez was elected to the Episcopacy in 1992, and has since served in bothNebraska and Texas.

“One of the first things I did after that election was to ask one of my former professors about the first duty of a bishop and was somewhat surprised at the answer,” recalled Bishop Martinez. “He said the first duty of a bishop is to preserve the unity of the Church.

“Before I actually take to the rocking chair, I want to do further work on justice in society and on theissues of race and inclusion. What a wonderful gift the church of Jesus Christ has been to me for these 48-plus years. It’s been a privilege, and I thank you for that.”

The Bishop’s wife, Raquel Mora Martinez, an accomplished musician, composed and led the Hymn of Presentation for her husband’s retirement segment.

“For us, it has been a journey of ups and downs, and we know God has great things ahead for us because the work of mission never ends: It just takes different paths,” declared Mrs.Martinez.

As the retirement celebration drew to a close, Bishop Ann Sherer offered a prayer of thanksgiving and blessing:

“Bless now our beloved faithful colleagues who enter a new way of serving You. Thanks for tasks accomplished, love shared, the joy, fruitfulness woven into the fabric of their lives. We ask You to fill them with vision and a full measure of Your spirit that they may continue to serve the Church.”

The benediction was by Bishop Joe Wilson: “May we seek the quiet and solitary places where we are filled with the Spirit, that we may love mercy seek justice and walk humbly with our God.”

Other worship leaders included Bishops Charles Crutchfield and Alfred L. Norris.

The concluding hymn, especially appropriate, included these words:

Breathe on me, Breath of God, fi ll me with life anew, that I may love what Thou dost love, and do what Thou wouldst do. Breathe on me, Breath of God, till I am wholly Thine, till all this earthly part of me glows with Thy fire divine.