Elias Gabriel Galvan
Encyclopedia
Elias Gabriel Galvan is a retired Mexican-American Bishop
of the United Methodist Church
, elected in 1984.
, Mexico
. Elias married Zoraida Freytes (a native of Puerto Rico
, also raised in a United Methodist parsonage) 12 July 1986. They have one son, Elias Gabriel, born 20 September 1988.
-Arizona
Annual Conference
, he attended Compton Junior College, later earning a B.A.
degree from California State University at Long Beach
. He then earned a Rel.D. degree at the School of Theology at Claremont
.
. He then served as Director of Ethnic Planning and Strategy (1971-74). He then was appointed Superintendent of the Santa Barbara
District (1974-79, also serving two years as Dean of the Cabinet). He became the Conference Council Director in 1980, which position he held until elected to the Episcopacy in 1984.
General and Jurisdictional Conferences, 1972-84 (serving as Chairperson of one of the Legislative Committees in 1972). He served on the General Commission on Religion and Race (1972-76), the General Council on Finance and Administration (1976-84; chairing the Council's Division on Administrative Services, 1980-84). During 1983-84 Dr. Galvan served as President of the Southern California Ecumenical Council. He has also been very active in the Hispanic
Caucus of the former Pacific and Southwest Annual Conference, and of the M.A.R.C.H.A. national U.M. Hispanic caucus, of which he was the first chairperson of its coordinating committee.
Episcopal Area (Desert
Southwest Annual Conference
), which was formed by the Jurisdiction in 1984. He was succeeded by Bishop William W. Dew Jr in 1992.
As a Bishop he served on the General Council on Ministries (1984-88), the General Board of Discipleship (1989-92), the General Board of Global Ministries (1992-2000), and President
of the College of Bishops of the Western Jurisdiction in 1989. He has also served as a Trustee
of the School of Theology at Claremont (1985- ). Bishop Galvan was also appointed by the Council of Bishops to Chair the Committee to Develop a National Plan for Hispanic
Ministries for the 1989-92 quadrennium.
Bishop Galvan retired from the active episcopacy 1 September 2004.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, elected in 1984.
Birth and Family
Galvan was born into a Methodist parsonage in San Juan Acozac, PueblaPuebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Elias married Zoraida Freytes (a native of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, also raised in a United Methodist parsonage) 12 July 1986. They have one son, Elias Gabriel, born 20 September 1988.
Education
Galvan attended high school at the Instituteo Mexicano Madero in Puebla, a Methodist boarding school. On a scholarship from the Spanish-American Institute, a United Methodist institution related to the (former) Southern CaliforniaSouthern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
-Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
Annual Conference
Annual Conference
An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...
, he attended Compton Junior College, later earning a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from California State University at Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
. He then earned a Rel.D. degree at the School of Theology at Claremont
Claremont School of Theology
Claremont School of Theology is a graduate school located in Claremont, California, offering Master of Art, Masters of Divinity, Doctorate of Ministry and Ph.D...
.
Ordained Ministry
Elias was ordained a Deacon and became a Probationary Member of the Southern California-Arizona Conference of the Methodist Church in 1964. He was received into Full Connection and ordained an Elder in 1970. As a Pastor, Rev. Galvan served the following appointments in the Southern California-Arizona Conference: Asbury Church (Associate) and as Pastor of the City Terrace Church, and of the Church of All Nations in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He then served as Director of Ethnic Planning and Strategy (1971-74). He then was appointed Superintendent of the Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
District (1974-79, also serving two years as Dean of the Cabinet). He became the Conference Council Director in 1980, which position he held until elected to the Episcopacy in 1984.
Ministry in the Greater Church
Dr. Galvan was elected a Delegate to U.M.United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
General and Jurisdictional Conferences, 1972-84 (serving as Chairperson of one of the Legislative Committees in 1972). He served on the General Commission on Religion and Race (1972-76), the General Council on Finance and Administration (1976-84; chairing the Council's Division on Administrative Services, 1980-84). During 1983-84 Dr. Galvan served as President of the Southern California Ecumenical Council. He has also been very active in the Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
Caucus of the former Pacific and Southwest Annual Conference, and of the M.A.R.C.H.A. national U.M. Hispanic caucus, of which he was the first chairperson of its coordinating committee.
Episcopal Ministry
Dr. Galvan was elected Bishop by the Western Jurisdictional Conference of the U.M. Church. He was assigned to the PhoenixPhoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
Episcopal Area (Desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
Southwest Annual Conference
Annual Conference
An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...
), which was formed by the Jurisdiction in 1984. He was succeeded by Bishop William W. Dew Jr in 1992.
As a Bishop he served on the General Council on Ministries (1984-88), the General Board of Discipleship (1989-92), the General Board of Global Ministries (1992-2000), and President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the College of Bishops of the Western Jurisdiction in 1989. He has also served as a Trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of the School of Theology at Claremont (1985- ). Bishop Galvan was also appointed by the Council of Bishops to Chair the Committee to Develop a National Plan for Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
Ministries for the 1989-92 quadrennium.
Bishop Galvan retired from the active episcopacy 1 September 2004.