-
Title
-
Abbott, Cleon F.
-
extracted text
-
/
.
.-t/
CLERGY BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
,·
(Please type or print all information)
NAME_ _ _//~6:,--::.b
~·~
o~ll
'---------=
e-r-J,~p_:..{_
)_
~ _ _ _---:-:-:-~
C~--Last
First
Middle
!111
BIRTH DATE_ ___,7'----_/:
. . ;y. _· _
~ ;;...
3_/_ _PLACE OF BIRTH .J3 £ I<J< Lk. Yj
SOC.
CONFERENCE RELATIONSHIP:
(7<) Full Member
( ) Associate Member
( ) Probation Member
( ) Lac a1 Pas tor
( ) Other
ORDINATION :
( )
EDUCATION:
High School
Call ege
7
L
Received in 19__£.[_
. Conference
J)£T/<!'OI
Received in 19
Conference_
Received in 19-Conference
( ) En ro 11 ed i n Course of Study Yea-rs----=c,--om-p. .l-e
. . t-:-e-.d===:~~~~~-=-~
( ) Graduate Course of Study (Specify) ______ { ) Student
___;._...;...___.L------
Deacon, 19
Graduated
Cod 5
1
Co d'-5
Seminary
I 9
?/,
.11/f-
Date
/Zi- Z
JJ . L:>
Date
lf:r] -
ing on or completed advanced degree, indicate
list other significant training experiences . )
11 .,.,fr,vd~c/ /7...>~-L
!
YEARS SERVED
CHURCHES OR AP.POIN '
l.~~~~~~~l~~~~~~~~~/.=?------+-~-~r--1966 · to 19~
19_il_to 19~
19...£2_to 19~
1 9-4-to 1 9__2.3_
1921_to l9_EL
x;r::--
19_l,Lto 1 9
-
19 7.J to 19_ _
19~to
(Over )
19
;-2- (Bio. Record)
·'
c
BOARD AND COMM. MEMBERSHIP & OFFICES (Gen, Church,
~
.
7
7
7
J
Conf~
Dist, present and past years)
)
Vj:J
.
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES, HOBBIES, SECULAR MEMBERSHIP & OFFICES & YEARS
HONORS, PUBLISHED WORKS AND YEARS
NAME OF SPOUSE ~d.__
DATE OF MARRIAGE
7- /()
BIRTH DATE_ _ _ _ _ _ __
-- r 7/
PLACE OF BIRTH~--------EDUCATION OF S P O U S E · - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - : - - - - - - /
SPOUSE'S OCCUPATION AND/OR ACTIVITIES/HOBBIES_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
· CHILDREN (List all at home or away)
NAME
DATE OF BIRTH
NAME
DATE OF BIRTH
ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL DATA AND YEARS
DATE FILL ED OUT
--
//-/5--ff)
SEND : 1 copy to District Office w/picture
1 copy to Area Office of Bishop w/picture
(155 W. Congress
Suite 200
Detroit, MI 48226)
~
December 16, 1985
i
2.
Documented Service Record.
I grew up (till I was 11) on the farm and so engage d in a varie ty
of work - planting, hoeing, plowing, cutting down and hauling trees,
even a bit of coal mining - laying of tracks, draining of mines, drilling,
blasting and hauling of coal, etc. Even though I was quite young I was
exposed to a wide variety of 'IIJOrk.
I went away to God's Bible School for my last year of high school
and there I worked for the first semester part time in the kitchen
and the second semester as night watchman (10 p.m. till 1).
In college I paid for my room, board, tuition by being the switchboard operater for the high school and college (la.m. to 7 a.m.) This was
not as strenuous as it seems since it was possible to sleep much of
the time. On Saturdays I sold women's shoes at the Baker Shoe St ore.
In the summers during college and seminary, and to some extent during
the year, I worked at a variety of jobs - for government contractor
ofgrain bins, for G.M. -cars and jet engines, Heekin Ean Co •• Also
did insurance sales work, clothes sales, . telepbbne sales, door to door
sales. Also, during most of my stay at the Univ. of Chicago Divinity
School I worked as a night clerk on the near north side of Chicago from
11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Since this job served mainly as a security symbol
for the tenants I was able to study almost all the time and so did not
hinder my studies.
In general I had a wide variety of work experience early in life
and while going through school.
My first pastoral charge, which I took in 1 990, consisted of three
churches at Whittemore, Hale, and Turner - my first extensive practical
experience in church work. While at the Hale church we built what
turned out to be the initial phase of an educational unit.
We did
mach of the finishing work ourselves and I helped with this. During
this time we began to experience the growth that later enabled the
Hale church to be a good sized, self supporting indep13ndent church.
At Highland, my second charge, the church was on conference
minimum support for salary and travel. During my stay of four years
t he church was not only off minimum but 25% above conference minimum.
The leadership structure which had been concentrated in a small clique
was broadened and democratized -but only after much conflict. Durnng
this time the membership grew and I took over the leadership also of
the small Clyde church and was in the process of merging the two when
I moved to Pontiac. Also, while I was there we traded a piece of
property in the center of town for a larger tract on the outskirts.
This is where the presen t church is located.
At the Highland
including the church
much of the control,
any kind of ope nness
Park First United Methodist a small clique,
secretary and at the time full time custodian, had
which worked against a missional emphasis and against
to the community involving ethnic peopl e s.
2
Service Record (cont . )
I effectively checked this and kept church open to community , working
effectively in adult program~ng for church and community. The first
"Roots" sponsored by Congressman Conyers. We instituted and had an
eff e ctive d istribution of whi s t l es in the Whistl estop Crime Prevention
prognam- actually distributing more whist les than the much publicized
Palmer Park program.
In the c hurch, while I was there, the f amilies
with youth and children who had not already l eft for the suburbs
relocated. This was due to t he crime and the school situation.
Highland Park was a changing community and yet we were able to hold
adult attendance and membership steady during the eight years I was
t here - a time when the normal trend would ~ have been one of decline.
Hope ancl Edenville. At Hope I he l ped r e concile two factions,
t he younger families with babies or young children and the older
couples. This Has brought u p i n my initial interview with the
Pastor Parish Comm. as the major problem facing the congregati on .
Thi s along with some ot her interpersonal conf l i c t s were l argel y
r esol ved within a year. ~Vh ile there we made up the past due debts to
the Reti r ement Homes and internal debts to bu ilding fund - acquired
earlier to pay up apportionments so that they ~~uld be paid up when I
arrived at the church. Along with this there was an increased level
of giving while I was there. While there, also, we pave d the church
driveway, put in handicap ramp, chair lift to basement and completed
a major renovation project which had been in limbo for 10 years.
This provided a narthex for the church, enlarged an upstairs classroom
and provided increased storage space. In the process two new energy
efficient furnaces were installed .
At Edenville a handicap ramp was installed, the giving greatly
increased, and an increase of about 30% in the membership was realized.
Marysville - June, 1985. Since being here there has been a marked
increase in attendance and giving and enthusiasm. With the increased
favorable attitude interest in the building program has revived,
a building commi ttee formed, and the prospects are that a n ew sanctuary
with double the present seating capacity will be built and the present
structures remodeled. The building pro·gr am which has been talked
about for over 10 years may now soon come to completion.
A final comment is that in my experience many churches experience
problems due to a failure to deal with difficult personalities and con~
flict, with resulting de t erioration of good interpersonal relationships
in the church. I f eel it is the past or's job to t~e the lead and
r esponsibi lity in this but feel that most o ften it is not one that
is accepted - or at l e ast one that is not very effectively dealt with.
i'lhen the unfairne ss and turmoil that results from agressive and
difficult personalities are effectively dealt with I find that the
whole atmosphere and general condition of the church changes for the
better.
One thing I feel I have done in t he churches I have served is
to greatly improve the democratic operation of the church and open up
attitudes toward connectional and missional support, as well as develop
a new appreciat ion of the social responsibility of the Christian life.
December 19, 1985
MY FAITH JOURNEY
I was raised in a r eligious home so that my earl iest memori es
are those of regular attendance on r eligi ous exer c i ses . \Vhen I \·Ja s one
year old our f amily moved from Berkley, Michigan to Kentucky; it was
there that I have my earliest memories. We walked to church about two
and a half miles each Sunday. Sunday School and church wer e a must. We
rarely ever missed. My mother attended Sunday evenings and Wednesday evenings. Grace was offer ed at each meal and we had the reading of Scriptlrre
and prayer each night. We children took turns r e ading the Bible, each
having the choice, when it was his turn, what selection to read . Sometimes we would discuss the passages or o ffer comments.
In those days we had occasional revivals and we chi ldren v1ere urged
to go though I don't remember that it was required as Sunday mor ning was.
As a youth ~my attendance on the r eligious activiti es was on the whole
perfunctory. The one profound religious experience that stands out in
my e arly youth while s t ill i n Kentucky happened when I was about eight
years old and it happened not in church but in the woods. While walking
through the 1f!Oods with my father and brother I had an extraordinary sense
of the presence and reality of God in the trees and sky and all around me.
At that moment a relationship to and worship of God seemed the most
desirable and sane thing ther e i G. This was remarkable since~intellectually
my mind was still filled with childish ide as of an anthromorphic God
sitting on a throne somrct:~here. Tho experience was completely at odds
with my immature perceptions. Ever since that time I have been convinced of the importance of regular religious exercises since to that
point my interest and attention had been rather perfunctory, though regular.
When I was eleven years old we moved to Hamtramck. Here we
attended the Pilgrim Holiness Church (which also had been the church we
attended in Kentucky). When I was in the eleventh grade I went through
a conversion experience . Almost immediately I had the dawning convicti on
that I should be a minister. There was no one dramatic moment or poin t
when this happened but rather a gradual development of a feeling that
t his was for me.
The fo l l0wing year I went to Cincinnati for my last year of High
School at God's Bible School. I also got my B.A. at the college there.
Daily chapel and othe r r eligious exercises were routine and required.
I took Hebrew and Greek, one year of Hebrew and three years of Greek New Testament and Classi cal. In addition there were other r e ligious
subjects. During this time, though, I became seriously interested in
piano, which I had been taking since the 7th grade. I had passing thoughts
of some kind of c areer i n music. My major in college was in music and
t hus I had courses in conducting, harmony, sight singing, music appreciation, e tc.
At t his time there were also possible thoughts of teaching.
By the time I fini shed college I had given up t hought s o f a musical
career but was still thinking in terms of t eaching , or perhaps of teaching and preaching. With this in mi nd I went on to s~~inary, choosing
Asbury Theological Seminary as being one t hat s eemed suitable to my
religious and t heo logical position at t he time. However, I was beginning to change some in my thinking and was going through a period of
doubt and reevaluation of my whole religious life. This continued
2
My Faith Journey (cont.)
throughout seminary. Starting to think fo~ myself after having accepted
a rather literalistic, verbally infallible view of the Bible and also a
rather ascetic, individualistic approach to Christian life and responsibility,
I gradually changed my thinking on much of what I had previously accepted.
My ideas and beliefs came to be based on my conviction rather than what
I had been taught.
During seminary I realized that the church. ·I had been raised in,
the Pilgrim Holiness Church, was no longer satisfactory for me and that
I would not fit in with their needs either. Looking around at the
Presbyterian, Methodist and other churches I felt that the Methodist came
closest to where I really was.
\~en I finished seminary I was still searching theologically and
religiously and decided to continue my theolmgical education until this
was resolved more satisfactorily. I went to Biblical Seminary in NY
(later to become New York Theological Seminary) where I completed all
the work for a Masters of Sacred Theology oxcept for a practical field
work requirement. This was completed later and evenually I did get my
S.T.M. degree. vfuile in ~x I began to become more settled religiously
yet I was still not satisfied and so decided to continue my education,
still thinking also of the possibility of teaching as well as preaching.
In the winter of the next year after leaving Biblical Seminary, Jan.
of •57, I enrolled in the Divinity School of the University of Chiae<3o on
an M.A. program in Ethics and Society - this was a two year program. I
took t wo and a half years of work, taking additional courses to those
that were required. It was during this time that I came to a more settled
theological and r e ligious position and decided to enter full time
Christian ministry. I stayed a year in Chicago after finishing classes
working on my M.A. thesi s involving the writings of Reinhold Niebuhr and
making provision for entering the Methodist ministry. In June of 1960
I took my first pastorate. My thesis for the M.A. was submitted and
returned for rewriting. This was not really a very large effort but
one which I never completed, mainly I suppose because the degree was
not really needed and the education at the University of Chicago had
served the purpose for which I had originally gone.
Through my early years in the ministry I continued to consolidate
my religious and theological position and in a sense am still doing so.
~ ~-·
~
Cleon F. Abbott
1 - 9 - 86
4. MY THEOLOGICAL STATEMENT
I feel that one 's belief about God determines one's whole approach to lif e
- its purpose, how it is to be lived, what is good and bad, right and
wrong.
The Christian doctrine of God as creator and sustainer of life is
important in that it s hapes our conception toward thi s l ife . I do not
feel that the idea of man's sinfulness in any way affects the goodness
of God ' s creation. The goodness of creation as coming from God's hands
indicates for me that life is good and not just a vale of tears or a
vestibule for the after life. Mater i al things and the joys of this life
are t o be affirmed and the endeavor should be made to see that e ach one
is enabled to participate in the f ullness of C~d's creation.
I do not feel that this is the best of possible worlds but rather that
it is a world of best possibilities, that contingency is a part of God' s
plan and that all things are not directly moved or determined by God.
Evil, therefore , becomes possible not as a direct will of God but as
t he r e sult of free will and c ont i ngency. The evils of l ife that destroy
- povr_•rty , hun<Jer , nll forms of scarc ity as well as the evi ls r e sulting
f rom ill intent (war, etc) are in t he province of mankind to eleminate
aS God's co-work ers . The process of creation cannot be completed, I feel,
apart from the efforts of mankind.
As to the mode o f creation, evolution or other wi s e, this is not importamt;
rather what is important is the idea that God is creator. I believe
that God created the universe to operate according to certain l aws and
princ ipl es and that the t rue scientific process is in fact engaged in
thinking God's thoughts after Him. Many aspects of sc ient ific research
are i nexact and often mistaken but on the whole it can help us to
gain new insights into life , how we may best live life, what makes for
human wel l being,and what does not, and in t his sense affects our e thical
conceptions of how we may best express love of others . I believe
there are infinite possibilities of growth in this area and that
religion and science are i nextricably related, though I do not think
ther e is any such thing as a real contradiction be2ween science and
religion.
As to the nature of Gcd I believe that he is personal , f or God must be
gr eater than his creation, and that he is a God of infinite love despite
any of t h e problems of evil that may mani f est themselves in life.
As to the person and r ole of Jesus Christ I believe t hat he is definitive
for our understanding of God. I do not necessaril y hol d to the definitions
of him and the trinity made by the early councils. I believe that the
indwelling of God in Jesus was not in terms of substance but of
consciousness . The uniqueness of Jesus was due to his unique dependence
on the divine will and t he fullness of the divine spirit in his life.
His divinity then was grounded i n the unparalleled c losene ss and obedience
to the heavenly Father. Particular theories or doctrines about the
Virgin Birth, bodily resurrection, or the necessity of his death are not
matters of crucial concern for me.
t·
\
.
2
concerning the work of Christ I believe that he was the mediator of
revelation - the supreme mediator and in this sense he is unique. The
scriptural reference to Jesus as the vlord of God then seems a most
appropriate designation.
Concerning man I believe in the Arminian concept of the freedom of the
individual in rel a tion to salvation, that there is no "unconditional"
predestination. I also believe that there is no such thing as original
sin in the sense that it is somrothing inherited from Adam. Sin is
connected with choice and responsibility. We sin when we violate that
which we know to be right or when we fall sn0rt mf the ideal because of
some fai2ure in our present or past. I see moral character as an
acquired virtue not as something from which we have fallen away. In
this sense the idea of divine sonship, of growing up into the fullness
of Christ, is the ideal rather than some abstract idea of the image of
God. The ideal of the Christian life then is one of constant growth,
of sanctification. This growth toward perfection does not mean denial
of physical joys or the joys of this life but rather the conformity to
the ideal of loving God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves
as exemplified in Jesus Christ.
I n terms of the Christian life I feel that the Reformation doctrine of
justification by faith and the Weslyan idea of sanctification are
still valuable and are in harmony with New Testament teaching. We are
imperfect and continually fall short of God's will and thus continually
need God ' s forgiveness, to be accepted into fellowship with God in
spite of our imperfection, and yet at the same time there is the need
to continually move in the direction of perfection.
In the Christian life the supreme ethic is that of love not rules or laws
however arrived at. I believe in a situation ethic though obviously
for most circumstances we need the guidance given by laws and rules
for general conduct. These are to be followed unless there is clear
cause to do otherwise. With Til lich I believe that the Christian ethic
provides the middle ground between absolutism of law on the one hand
and the chaos of relativism on the other. I see that what is right is
also that which is good; it is that which edifies, builds up, and enhances
life and is not therefore abstr act, arbitrary, and mysterious, although
what is truly godd is often difficult to ascertain. Oftentimes the
social sciences can help us in this regard.
The Christian Church I see as the Body of Christ carrying on his life,
work, and ministry in the world. This includes evangelism and a lso
ministry to every other area of need in people's lives - medical,
educat ional, etc. I see the church as being supportive of all those
spa~ se, structures that work for human well being and being opposed to
those that work against it.
The Christian hope is one of this life and the life to come . Our hope
is that in so far as possible the kingdom of God will come in the here
and now. But our hope is not limited to this life. Rather in the end
God will bring all things into subj ection to him. I am rather uncommitted
about the details of heaven or hell but do not believe in an eternal he ll
since it seems to be out of character with a God of love.
MICHIGAN AREA - INFORMATION SHEET
Detroit Conference
Date
1.
Name of Minister
2.
Charges served
C L,EtliV
8- f , ~<f
dt1.8 CJ
1L=
Birth Date 7---/9-3/
(List dates and name in chronological order):
$uJJ;;j'c/J1v/-e.
- /(k/e- fvO/<r-
/76P-{1
3.
4.
Fields of employment other
5.
Areas of Service:
7 / '
Community --------------------------------------------------------
Other (Beyond Conference or Community)
,·
6.
Areas of interest and/or special training:
7.
Family:
~~
/
~~
~=-~~
~-------------------------
Date of Marriage
Name of Spouse
Birth Date ·
- --- -
School atte n ded and deg r ees
Children:
8.
Birth Date
Name
Status in Conference :
Da t e of License to Preach
tzf z
/Jv
f
//(J (7/ tJp
I
Date and Conference of Probationary Member
Date and Conference of Deacon Ordination
Date and Conference of Full Connect ion
Date and Conference of Elder Ordination
9.
Attach Personal Picture:
Itt~
;yt'~
!).,
1-
'
1?-f'(
For Local Pastors:
Approved for Part Time
List Date & Conference
Approved for Full Time
List Date & Conference
Prog ress in Course of Study ___
Date of Completion of
Co urs e of Study
Date this for m
was completed _.- - - - - - - - - -
r•
MI NISTERIA L BIOGRA PH ICAL FORM
DETRO IT CONFERENCE HISTORI CAL SOC IETY FIL E
Name:
Date of Recor d / /-/..) : .7(
•
/1iJIJo£
C .lb't >A/
E r<cf..ent:-£
----~(~
Ja
~s
~t~)~~~--------~(~f~i~
r ~st
~)~~----------(~m~
lL
dd~
le
~)~~~~-----------------
71
8 i rt h : -------r-2
_-~/.L-p--=-J""---L_/__________________~({,.<..:=e-<I~
-:A
_,_·!~
. . :.C v~-r/'--=&
~~'-:..:«<_./
: :.-:_.:..______________________
(date)
(place )
( 1/ / '
Person a l Appearance__~--b~~------~~~
-vl~--~~~
~
-~
~~
------~~~~~L_______
(helght )
(We ight )
Chai r )
(e yes
Fami ly Background:
· tiS
' ,2....../'--- Nat I ona I it y
Date of b i rth _________,,/'----"?:...._,.<.
~> 12?£ /PJ
A/tJ 1?/f:
Mot her •s Maiden Name
Occ upa t ion ..f.I/!Pv.-V &4'.s-b/ t;..'i;;.,f
----"-T
___,_?_J
~ Nat i on a I i t y____=-.::.5_________________________
Date o f b i r t h --------'/
Any Notab le it em In fami ly histor y (Pub l ic Serv ice , Author s h ip , In vent ion ,
Ed ucat ion, Me d ic ine, e tc.~ et c •
•
PERSONA L HISTORY:
I.
Re I i g i ous Ex per !ence a nd Churc h Wor k bef ore en t e r ing the Min is t r y- - - - - - - ,
~,tr-~
pVr
r
.tC:
.-S/ r~ if/
4
t:-
/-
££c,/= .&n
2.
3.
Education:
Schoo ls a nd Deg r ees---Hi gh Sc hool ______________________________
Co I Iege -----.f'.l~
f !JL........._ ___________ Sem i nar y
4 -R ·
Post-Gra duate ~5/
~;:
~,~~~·--------------------------------------------4.
Ad mitted on Tria l 1 and Ord inat ion s :
/ftz
•
f.J- /.1 /
/
#?<-~~ c~,../
/:J~t/ E , f r E~r
I
Page 2
5.
Marriage :
Date _
___
6.
Wi f e 1 s rna i den name...:_ __ _
-- --~---
.. . ____
Pl ace
Education~----------------------------------------------------
7.
Chi Idren :
8.
Appo i ntments served, with date6:
Name _ _ __ ____
_ _ _________
wJ !f:fr?(/)-.(7. -:-~/{_-~ __ ;;6.r.~./r_··. PS:f-/"" 4 .,.y .llT_ __,_,~,.L.Y~·~-"-----=?-"'J::___ _
//Ll'/~./ P.faLJ5~·~4'A..e=~=
. . . . . -"---'
/_=-..l.c9-7"-%.~.&-&---=-=-.L...J4
11!:--'~
:::.-'.S":._-.£:_j.L_
2_ _
tfd~/!/Z; //~&[ .d/;-r~~c(
k kC: --.d£Lc)
&fi
9.
Date of Birth _ _ _ _ __ _
~
/p/?- (?·
/jltf'ji - /_:?
~LN-4--
/ZZ? - /.Kr "'/
Offices he ld in the Conference , or on Dis trict:
_ _ _ _ _d_dvv.:- ~h
U m/ ~?LIL__
,A~ / / A~-"
U4/ ~
--i
/JJ / /:=
c:;_·,._-,v-.L
~---~hv:?.-~~.('
----------···-· ------- -- - - - - - - - - - - -- --
I I.
Ser v ic e Record with U. S. Armed Forces :
12.
Writin gs -- Artic les or Books:
e
C::fi?~.r/ /~~
-
MICHIGAN AREA -
D ate
/ /-
INFORMATION SHEET
/ /- 7 C..
J..
Name of Minister _ _
C_'L
_"'£_C'
"" _A/'
___
A--=~
-=L'--Jo . /r
:;. .:;_ _ _ _ _ Birth Date
2.
Charge s served
7 - /?-..7/
(List dates and name in chronological order):
..d
- fitf/~#'0/• ~y
w/;1/:!-;?/w--< -/~k -br/V..L.C:--
/26"' - 6.J
/l;ct/~/f,v/J
3.
I
I
./
Education . (Glvta degree and dates):
4.
..
5.
7
Areas oi Service:
ms trlct
,te u-a~,. e~r £""r-/-- .Azi//- hJ ,.;;,.,r
/w7 7 Vc!.ic.r
;
C?~az,,e C;r,--~~;Community
..£-.,.
~
£?L ,_,c Cr,vk.<.:--, ~L t/6~~,.~7 . .-e.t/1 .-f'.:c:•.cJ.
Jgvc. 6c
Conference
4/4-W--f
rf. p,J foJ /
f
/-
# .,1?/J.C,- ,/,-.//,
c;·#-lo/
.2. Z?;..r
7
I
62.-< L~ ~ s-L y=...<~P/ ,..c c
&f':
&Jl,/K .._/,wq.,ft~
c. .r/ ., A/
s=.
.f eA'(~ U~ § _,../ ,.£.._v~7
uAI &cecp£6rh'e f/'L
A/g,J. /5'
Other (Beyond Conference or Community) - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -
>
7.
Family:
7
>
//
Date of marriage: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Name of spouse _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Birth Date _ _ _ __
School attended and degrees - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Children:
8.
Name
Status in Conference:
Birth Date
Date of License to Preach
--~
/--:.>.,&?...l:rt
~
o_________
Date and Conference of Probationary Member _ _...J.I
:. . . .,. '7
.,~6....;Z
=--------Date and Conference of Deacon Ordination ---~1--L.?_i
_'L
________
_
Date and Conference of Full Connection _ _ _ _~/
~Z
-/
~9:
:.__________
7
Date and Confere nce of Elder Ordinatlon _ _ _ _.t../_~
;::__~
"'7f/
,____ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
9.
Attach personal picture:
(can be from Church Directory)
For Lay Pastors:
Approved for Part Time
List Date & Conference------ - Approved for Full Ti me
List Date & Conference - - - - -- - Progress in Course of Stud y - - -- - -
Date of Completion of
Course of S t u d y - - - - - - -- CLEON F. ABBOTI
Date this form
was c ompleted: -- - - - - - - - - -
...... .
.
r
l,
DETROIT CONFERENCE - INFORMATION SHEET
FLINT
e
April 21, 1965
Date
Name of Pastor
DISTRICT
Cl eon Abbott
Charge No w Serving
Birth Date
Hi ghland
Hours of Worship
7 - 19 - 31
9 :45 A.M .
Sun.
Educ ation : 1 . High School Hamtramck Hi gh & God ' s Bibl e School
2. Colleges
God's Bible Col lege i n Cincinnati
A. B. 1952
3. Seminary
Asbury Theological Seminary Wilmore, Ky . B. D. 1955
Year of gradua te 'vork a t BJ.bh cal Semi nary i n New York 1955 - 56
4. Oth er: Divini ty Sch . of University of Ch i ca go Jan. 1957 - June 1959
Completed tv1o year M.A. program except the sis . Time extension granted . The sis
~t:eleSC~~Pl~ nov1 in hands of advisor . M. A. expected this year.
Experienc e : 1. Status in the Detroit Conference
Member of Conference
2. Fields of Employment other than ministry
None except such jobs worked at
in getting through schoo l
3. Charges s erved
Whittemore Charge in Sag inaw Bay District and present
charge . -19 63 - High1and; 1967 Pontiac: a1dersgate - 1969 More nci - 1 "! 7.$
~~x
rAAA..
F~
,~ r-~
4. Other Ex perienc es
Areas of Service:
1 • In the Confe rence
-------------------------------------------------Counselor in summer camp
l year . Will do same this
year .
2 • On the Dis trict___
C_h _is_t_J._·a.. n;._ Ad
.....;.;...v...:o_c_a_te_ C
_o_mm
__i_t_t_e_e_--=P_re__
se_n
_t~y:....;e...:a...::r_.______
3 . Community Se r vice _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ ______
4. Other_ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Date of Marriage __S_ l_.n_;:g"-l_e_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Family: 1. Name of Wife _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Birth Date:..__ _ _ _ __
Schools attended ____________________________
. .
•,
')
.......
~
~
2. Names of Children:
----------------------------------------- BUth Date~~~---- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Birth Date_ _ _ _ __
--------------------------------------- Birth .Date__~-------------------------------------- Bir~~ Date_~-------------------~~------~----~----~ Birth Date________
Birth Date'
------------
Interest Areas: (Where .you ..have a high degree of interest, or ·perhaps special training
. for a given. task .in the .ministry) ____M_u_~_i_c_m_a_J_
· o_r_i_
n _. c_ o_l_l_e_g_e_. _b _u__
t h_a__v_e_n_
o _ in
_t_e_r_e_s_t _
in using this in a special ¥7ay in my mi n istry .
Other Comments:
No special interest areas .
-------------------------------------------------
Date w c eived on tri,al
June
1962
-----------------------~---------------------
Date ordained Deacon__J_un
__e__l..;..9_6_2 ___________ Local Deacon __;___....;.____-'------Data ordained Elder ___.;;J;...;un=e_l;:;;..9~6;;..4;,..___ _ _ _ _ _ Local Elder__,.--.----------Enclose personal picture.
THE COMMISSION ON PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ME THODIST INFORMATI ON
The Detroit Annual Conference
The United Methodist Church
Persona t Information a 1 Sheet
#1
This date
CPR
~
File
I
19
I
I
19
I
#
73
1.
Name____~--~C=l~eo~n~F~-~A~b~b~o~t~t~~~--------.------ Bi rthdate
(as you wish it used in papers)
2.
Present position____~~~M~~~·~~·~s~t~e~r-----~----~--~--------~-----------------(Minister, As~ociate, Student, etc.)
3·
Present address____~5~6~Pur--~~·t~an~----------~~~~----------~---------------(Where you a r e now living)
7
_ _H:.!.~~·gc.:hl=an=d~P.Ii!:ar~k~....
- .....M~i~c..,.h..._._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ z i p
4.
_11_
ttS2~
Present Confere nce Relationsh ·ip -----=M~e=mb~=er~-----------------------------(Associate, Probationer, Lay Pastor, Student, etc)
If there is to be a cha nge in this relationship at this Conference
session, indicate:
ch2~.~
to
If you are to be ordained at this conference session, indicate
the
ordination to be received: ____~~~--------~~-----------------------(Elder, Deacon)
5.
Your Parents' Name______~C~l~e~o~n~&~N~or~a~A~b~bo~t~t~------------------------------(If living) Their address__~2~13~~B~in~s~harn~-------------------------------La~n~s~i~n~g~,~M~i~cuh•j~ga~n~-------------Zip_________
6.
7.
Your Home Town - State______~Lan~~s~=·~g~,~M~i~c~h~i~g~a~n~---------------------------Date recommended for License to Preach____/____/ ____ ; by Charge Conference
of________________________________________________________________Church
8.
If a Conference Member, give date you were received:
As Probationary Member ~-_/~ Conference
As
As
As
As
9.
Associate Member
Member in Fu 11
Ordained Deacon
Ordained Elder
Confe rence
_/_/ _
.6__} _ / ..JJ4_ Conference
_/_/_
___ / ____;_
If transferred into Detroi t Confe r enc e , as
from the
Dc:t.:tllit
IJet:coj:t
Conference
Conference
Member ,
Confe r e nce, on ____/ ____/
(m-0-r-e )
-.
THE COMMISSION ON PUBLIC RELATIONS AND METHODIST INFORMATIO N
The Detroit Annual Conference -- The United Methodist Church
CPR File #
Persona 1 Information Sheet - #2
10. Education:
Graduated from
l<jmi$ C'..odls
High School
Bjble S ghaol
~/here 1ocate d,_--=Y~o;..:::un=g...;S:::.t=-•s..s...•.....::C:.;;:i::.:.n.o:::c:.,oi""'ru""'Ja.
~t.,.i._,_,O""h..,i..,o"------- DateL) _ /
College
Qod 1 s
Bible Co1lege
Where
.49-.
Ch:tcil:mati
Degree granted_ _~~~------------------------ Date.JL/ _ / _5L
Other College__________________________Where._______________
Degree granted.__________________________________ Date_/_/ _ _
Seminary
Asbury Theological SJDM1!i Seminacy
Where
Wilmore, Ky.
Degr ee granted ----~cD~---------------------- Dat e_o_j _ / -S.SPost Graduate
Biblical Seminary
J P'·
Univ. Chicago Divinity School
Where
2~ yr.
IJIA..s-t-~-7
1 - S'J' ~ ./ ·6o
N,Y. City
Chicag~
~---------------Date
_:_j _
Date_/_/ _ _
Honors or Honorary De grees
From___________________________________Where.__________________
-------------------------
11. Member of Conference agency ___________________________________________
12, Responsibilities or activities in community affairs, where you li ve _____
In Morenci
where I just finished serving 11 years• adjve in
Kiwanis & Morenci Communit¥' Center
13. Marital Status:
Single~
Marri e d
Widow(er)
If marri ed , wife's maiden name_________________________________________
He r home town - stat e
He r pare nts' name
Their presen t address---------------------------------------------I f you have children, names, please;
( ages, if they are at home);
(m-o- r -e )
"
THE COMMISSION ON PUBLIC RELATIONS AND METHODIST INFORMAT IO N
The Detroit Annual Conferenc e -- Th e United Methodist Church
CPR File #
Personal Info rmat ion Sheet- # 3
14.
Please li st churches you have se rved: (including supp ly or whi l e at School)
Whittemore-Hale-TuJn er Churches,
2
Highland (later
became
Sag .Ray Di st ,
Hi ghl arrl ...C~e) u.
3 Aldersgate lJ. Meth. Ch.
4
loforenci First U. l1eth. Ch.
5
Fjrst U, Methodi st Cb.
6
Conference
Town
Church
W!it R. . CR.. 3 lk.ll Aa Dd.si;, Detrai+
Det . East Di st . ,Pontiac
Ann Arbor Dist
Highl a nd Park ( present
Detroit
Detroit
Detroit
church)
7
8
10
If you a n t i cipate moving aft e r thi s Con f e r e nce, ple ase check box so that
we will che ck f o r a ppointment li s t for your as signme nt.
1 5.
Pl e a s e li s t any i tems you think may be of in t e r es t to the publ i c; such as
pre vious occupation , hobbi es, tr a ve l, public at ion s, e t c .
Like cla ssical. mus ic. Enjoy a t tending concert"" and o pera
Enjoy traveling • Have truveled over a good part of the Uhited States
and part of South America.
(A " Pu b licit y In formatio n Corre ct i on Sheet 11 is avai l a bl e to add/de l ete items )
I
THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
DETROIT CONFERENCE HEADQUARTERS
2111 WOODWARD AVENUE
DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48201
COMMISSION ON PUBLIC RELATIONS
Press Room
Detroit Annual Donference
Adrian College
Adrian, Michigan
Phone 313/ 961-8340
June 11, 1969
For Immediate Release
Copy:
Rev. Robert Dobson
It was announced by Bishop Dwight E. Loder of the United
Methodist Church at the Annual Meeting of the Detroit Conference in
Adrian, that Rev. Cleon Abbott, Jr. has been appointed to the Morenci
after serving the Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Pontiac.
Ordained an Elder in the Church by Bishop Marshall R. Reed in
1964, Rev. Abbott is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Cleon Abbott, Sr. of
Lansing.
He received an A. B. degree in 1952 from God's Bible
College in Cincinnati, •.. and received a Bachelor of Divinity degree
from Asbury Taeilogical Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky in 1955.
He
has also spen two years at the Divinity School of the k University
of Chicago.
Rev. Abbott has also served the Whittemore Charge in the
Saginaw Bay District and also
Churches at Highland Michigan.
the~ighland
and Clyde Methodist
From the
NlWS
DETROIT
Conference of
The Methodist Church
COMMISSION ON PUBLIC RELATIONS AND METHODIST INFORMATION
FROM:
D. C. CARPENTER
PRESS ROOM-- DETRO IT ANNUAL CONFEREN CE
ADRI ~N COLLEGE , ADRIAN , l.fiCHIGAN
FOR
I~lEOIATE
RELEASE
Rev. Cleon Abbot t , Jr., minister of t he Highland Methodi s t
Church , Hi ghland , Mi ch igan , was elected to Full Membership in the
Det roit Annua l Conference of The Methodist Church at the 123rd session
of t he
~nnual
Conference , meot1ng a t Adrian
College ~ Adrian~
He was ordained an El der in The Methodist Church
Michigan.
by Bishop
Marshal l R. Reed a t the closing session of t he conference , held in
4t
Firs t 1et hodis t Church, Adrian , on Sund y afternoon , June 21, 1964.
Rev. Abbott , son of Mr . and Mrs . Clcon Abbott , Sr . , o£ 213 Bingham
St ., Lansing , Mi chigan, was gr adu tad fr m God 's Bible
~chool ,
Cincinnati ,
Ohio , ln 1949 , and God's Bible College with an A. B. Dogree in 1952, and
from
sbury Theologic 1
in 1955.
aminal.~ ,
lJ1lmore , Kentucky, 'i1th a B. D. Degree
He attended one year ot Bibl i cal SetU1nary ln
HC\t~
York ,
u.'f.,
and two y ... ars at Divinity School of the University of Chicago.
Be£oro being appointed to his present position, bo servod
Whittemore Charge for throe years end one ye r at hie present charge.
v. Abbott
re~eived
n appointment from Bishop Reed to
e rve n church 1n the Detroit Conference.
-
n ...
I
..,
1.
e
2
Name._.,..c;.;l;;;.;e;;..o.;..;n;;....;F;...•;;...._;A;.;.b.;..b.;..o.;..t_t.;..,::.-J;;..r~.--~--Birthdate __J_u_l..;:y~l_9....;,_1_9....;3;..1_ _
(as you wish it used in papers)
2.
Pre~ent position --rM~1n_._1s~t_e_r~~~----=~~--~~---~----
(Associate Minister, }lini8ter, Student, etc.)
3. Present Address_ _2_l_O_N_._J.go_h_n_s_t_._,_H~tg.;;..h_l_a_n_d_,_M_1_c_h_i_g;...a_n_ _ _ _ __
4.
Change in Conference relationship this conference on trial - full membership, elders
(on trial--fullmembership ect.)
·5• Ord:w.atipn to be received at this conference_..;e.;;;l:_d.;..:;e_r...;s_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
6; Your Parents name
Mr. & Mrs. Cleon F. Abbott, Sr.
213 Bingham St., Lansing, Michigan
7.
Their Address
B.
Your Home Town
Highland, Mtchigan
(The place you call home)
9. Recormnended for License to Preach Fib• • 1960
of
10.
Matropolitan
(wnen)
(Detroit)
by the Quarterly Conference
church.
If a Conference llfember--when were you received.
a.
b.
c.
On trial._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _--.Jwhere~~~-~--~----(which conference)
Full Membership~~-~--·and
(when)
(what conference)
Tran~fered
to Detroit Conference
from
~(w_h_e_n~)-----
located at Cinc inna t 1
-(rw~h-a~t-c_o_n~f~e-re_n_c_e~)----
degree A.B.
year granted 195 2
~
c.
Seminary
:f.abury; Theological s:minarz
located at Wilmore, Kentucky
degree ___B_._D....;•_ _ _ _ __.,year granted_ _l_9_5_5_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
d.
Post Graduate
-
Biblical Seminarz in New Ygrk ,
~
e
...
New York ,
~
one year
e. ~~~ Divinity School of the Universitz of Chicago
2 zears
M.A. (pending upon the completion
ot thesis).
.. ,
12.
Present Conference Relati&nship.___O~n~_T_r_1_a_l_______________________________
Position you have held in Church, r1YF, i~H, etc·-----·- ----------------------
14. Member
of Conference Conunitt ee·- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
15. Positions or occupation before entering ministry____~N.o~n~e~-----------------
Churches served Whittemore Charge 1 Sa ginaw B8 Y Dis t •
16 .
._ ......
·_.- .
-
=·.. ,~ ....
•
ABBOIT, CLEON
F
3 yea rs
JR" (T
tsozt!ro-l)
1960 ·\·v 1 . .•• De t.,
one year
i 1 F t!'. .: 1%7
•
uttemo•c
· 196J _ _ _......_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~------------,H. 'g'an
l'o:-J:io.c:
.\ldcrs
g•te' lrom.
j :' .Ed.. .C!11caso~ Ph. FE 2 ..1.; p Chu;ch· 'l5~G ·
/J _ .
~ ,1 ./~
•
·31
wm ·A,·c . .;8{)55. l'h. l'E 5 -7i'Ji.' .
-~
~~~~~·:· · :~. :::
18.
..
., .
I '14f 7
~
~ivities
r
r.
~
~I
in Conununity Affairs, where you live
Harital Status._ _ _S_1_n...;:g:;...l_e_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
If Harried
Wife 9 s
~~idan
Name _____________________________________________
Her Home Town____________________________________________________
Her Par ent 9 s Name
------------------------------------------------
Their present address___________________________________________________
Your Children--Names and ages
:n space below or on separate sheet s add any i tems whi ch you t hink may be of
interest t o t he publ ic.
~
If you are not planning t o be present continuously through the Conference,
when do you plan to return
THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
DETROIT CONFERENCE HEADQUARTERS
pRESS DELEASE
COMMISSION ON PUBLIC RELATIONS
Press Room
Detroit Annual Conference
Adrian College
Adrian, Michigan
2111 WOODWARD AVENUE
DETROIT, MICHIGAN 48201
Phone 313/ 961-8340
June 11, 1969
For Immediate Release
Copy:
Rev. Robert Dobson
It was announced by Bishop Dwight E. Loder of the United
Methodist Church at the Annual Meeting of the Detroit Conference
in Adrian, that Rev. Cleon Abbott, Jr. has been appointed to the
~ orenci
United Methodist Church.
Rev. Abbott comes to Morenci after
serving the Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Pontiac.
Ordained an Elder in the Church by Bishop Marshall R. Reed
in 1964, Rev. Abbott is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Cleon Abbott, Sr.
of Lansing .
He received an A. B. deg ree in 1952 from God's Bible
College in Cincinnati, and received a Bachelor of Divinity de gree
from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky in 1955.
He has also spent two years at the Divinity School of the University
of Chicago.
Rev. Abbott has also served the Whittemore Charge in the Sagmnaw
Bay District and also the Highland and Clyde Methodist Churches
at Highland
~ ichi g an.
Wedding Bells
Rev. Claon FradrlckLbott. Jr.
end
Miss Cerol Joen Hervey -~
were untted tn Holy Mattmony ·
an
Saturday . . September 1o.. 1994
••
et
Glenwood Unt tad t1athod1st Church
PariODafe
..
.
The hfPPU couple ere off an e
bnef honeymoon. We would all
ltke to wtsh them we11 end extend
~ur
.thoughts and prayers for e
happy end healthy life together.
I
I
f
..
---·....,
I
~
.,._.
DETROIT CONFERE NCE PASTOR, REV CLEON ABB OTT , JR .
DIED THU RS. OCTOBER 6, 1994
Abbott, Cleon F.