As part of their year-long, Centennial Celebration, First United Methodist Church, 323 N. Haugh Ave. in Picayune, is pleased to announce Bishop James Edward Swanson Sr., will be preaching at the morning worship service Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013.

James E. Swanson Sr., is a native of Houston, Texas. He is a graduate of Southern Bible College, Houston, with a B.S. in Christian Ministries and from C.H. Mason Seminary, ITC, Atlanta, with the M.Div. degree. He received an honorary Doctor of Humanities from Rust College in 2013.

He was elected as bishop in the United Methodist Church in July of 2004 and assigned to the Knoxville Episcopal Area. He was assigned as the Resident Bishop of the Mississippi Area as of September 4, 2012. Bishop Swanson is currently serving as the President of the General Commission on United Methodist Men and is a member of the Correctional Table of the United Methodist Church.

He is married to the former Delphine Yvonne Ramsey. They are the proud parents of six children: Karen, James Jr., Shondell, Carlton, JaNaé and Joshua, and the grandparents of ten grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

For more information about Bishop Swanson or the Centennial Celebration contact the church at 601-798-4321.
(For further details of this story please refer to the 10/4/13 print or e-editon of the Picayune Item.)