S. Clifton Ives

Samuel Clifton Ives (born 13 November 1937) is a retired American Bishop of the United Methodist Church, elected in 1992.

Birth and Family

Cliff was born in Farmington, Maine. The son of a Methodist Pastor, he lived in seven different Maine communities while growing up. He is married to Jane Petherbridge Ives. They have three grown children (Bonnie Marden, Stephen, and Jonathan), and five grandchildren. Cliff enjoys running, gardening, swimming, sailing, skiing, carpentry, and mountain climbing.

Education

Bishop Ives graduated from the University of Maine in 1960. He earned both an M.Div. degree (1963), and a D.Min. degree in Church and Society (1983) from Boston University School of Theology.

Ordained Ministry

Cliff was ordained Deacon (1961) and Elder (1963) by Bishop James K. Mathews. Rev. Ives served for thirty years in the Maine Annual Conference, including pastorates at Cape Elizabeth, Bangor, Waterville, and Westbrook. In addition to his service as a Pastor, Rev. Ives served as the Director of the Conference Council on Ministries (1973-76), and as Superintendent of the Southern District (1986-92).

Rev. Ives was elected a delegate from his Annual Conference to U.M. Jurisdictional and General Conferences (1972-92). He also served on the Board of Directors of the U.M. General Board of Discipleship (1984-88), and for ten years was a member of the World Methodist Council. With his wife Jane he has also been involved in Marriage Enrichment leadership since 1976.

Episcopal Ministry

Bishop Ives was elected to the Episcopacy in 1992 by the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference of the U.M. Church. He was assigned to the West Virginia Episcopal Area (the West Virginia Annual Conference). As a Bishop he also served as Vice-President of the U.M. General Commission on Religion and Race (1992-96). He also maintained a special interest in World Missions, which led him twice to Haiti as a Volunteer-in-Mission, as well as to Russia and Africa.

References

• InfoServ, the official information service of The United Methodist Church. [1]
• The Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church[2]

See also

• List of Bishops of the United Methodist Church

External links

• Photo of Bishop Ives