| James Samuel Thomas | |
|---|---|
| Resident Bishop | |
| Church | United Methodist Church |
| See | Ohio East Episcopal Area |
| In Office | 1976–88 |
| Predecessor | Francis Enmer Kearns |
| Successor | Edwin Charles Boulton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 8, 1919 Orangeburg, South Carolina |
| Died | October 10, 2010 (aged 91) |
| Previous post | Resident Bishop, Iowa Area, Bishop |
James Samuel Thomas (April 8, 1919 – October 10, 2010[1]) was an American bishop in The Methodist Church (now The United Methodist Church). When elected in 1964, he was the youngest Methodist Bishop to date.
His first appointment as Bishop was in Iowa, where he served from 1964 to 1976, becoming the first black bishop of the North Central Jurisdiction of The Methodist Church. He last served as the Resident Bishop of the Ohio East Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church from 1976 until 1988, retiring in 1988.
In 2002, the Iowa Senate passed a resolution honoring Bishop Thomas. In its citation, the Senate extended
The resolution was presented to Bishop Thomas on his birthday in the same year.[2]
| Religious titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Francis Enmer Kearns |
Resident Bishop, Ohio East Area, United Methodist Church 1976-1988 |
Succeeded by Edwin Charles Boulton |