Hazen Graff Werner
Encyclopedia
Hazen Graff Werner was a Bishop
of The Methodist Church and The United Methodist Church
, elected in 1948.
, the son of Samuel Edgar and Emma (Graff) Werner. Hazen married Catherine Stewart, 22 May 1924. They had a daughter, Joy Ann, and a son, Stewart Hazen.
degree from Albion College
in 1920. He was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega
fraternity
. Hazen then attended Columbia University
, and earned the B.D.
degree from Drew Theological Seminary in 1923.
in 1924. He served the following pastoral appointments in Michigan
: Westlawn and Cass Ave. M.E. Churches in Detroit and the Court Street Methodist Church in Flint
. At these downtown
Detroit churches he first developed what he called a Personal Trouble Clinic. This clinic was developed and operated in collaboration with a psychiatrist
and a family visitor, and in co-operation with the Public Health Department, the Police
Department, a Medical Center, and other public agencies. Much of his subsequent writing was drawn from his experiences in that work. Rev. Werner was lastly appointed Pastor
of the Grace Methodist Church located at 1029 Harvard Blvd., Dayton, Ohio
.
In 1945 Werner became the Professor
of Practical Theology
at Drew Theological Seminary, Madison, New Jersey
. There he taught seminary students the principles of counseling and the basic truths of the emotional life. He also contributed articles on counseling and personal problems to leading religious magazines of his day.
The Rev. Dr. Werner was elected a delegate
to General and Jurisdictional Conferences of The Methodist Church, 1944-48. He also was the Chairman of the General Commission on World Peace
and a New world order, and was a member of the General Commission of Evangelism
and the State of the Church, both of the Methodist Church.
Warner was married to the former Helen Elsea and had a son, Stewart.
in 1968 he was based in Manhattan
as bishop of the church for Hong Kong
and Taiwan
.
Bishop Werner was a Mason
and a member of Kiwanis
. He enjoyed horseback riding as a leisure
activity. He died of heart failure at his Saint Petersburg, Florida home.
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 Methodist Church and 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 1948.
Birth and family
Hazen was born in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, the son of Samuel Edgar and Emma (Graff) Werner. Hazen married Catherine Stewart, 22 May 1924. They had a daughter, Joy Ann, and a son, Stewart Hazen.
Education
Hazen earned the A.B.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 Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
in 1920. He was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega is a secret American leadership and social fraternity.The Fraternity has more than 250 active and inactive chapters, more than 200,000 initiates, and over 7,000 active undergraduate members. The 200,000th member was initiated in early 2009...
fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
. Hazen then attended Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, and earned the B.D.
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree from Drew Theological Seminary in 1923.
Ordained and Academic Ministry
He was ordained to the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal ChurchMethodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
in 1924. He served the following pastoral appointments in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
: Westlawn and Cass Ave. M.E. Churches in Detroit and the Court Street Methodist Church in Flint
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
. At these downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
Detroit churches he first developed what he called a Personal Trouble Clinic. This clinic was developed and operated in collaboration with a psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
and a family visitor, and in co-operation with the Public Health Department, the Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
Department, a Medical Center, and other public agencies. Much of his subsequent writing was drawn from his experiences in that work. Rev. Werner was lastly appointed Pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of the Grace Methodist Church located at 1029 Harvard Blvd., Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
.
In 1945 Werner became the Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Practical Theology
Practical theology
Practical theology is the practical application of theology to everyday life. Richard Osmer explains that the four key questions and tasks in practical theology are:# What is going on? # Why is this going on?...
at Drew Theological Seminary, Madison, New Jersey
Madison, New Jersey
Madison is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the population was 16,530. It also is known as "The Rose City".-Geography:Madison is located at ....
. There he taught seminary students the principles of counseling and the basic truths of the emotional life. He also contributed articles on counseling and personal problems to leading religious magazines of his day.
The Rev. Dr. Werner was elected a delegate
Delegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
to General and Jurisdictional Conferences of The Methodist Church, 1944-48. He also was the Chairman of the General Commission on World Peace
World peace
World Peace is an ideal of freedom, peace, and happiness among and within all nations and/or people. World peace is an idea of planetary non-violence by which nations willingly cooperate, either voluntarily or by virtue of a system of governance that prevents warfare. The term is sometimes used to...
and a New world order, and was a member of the General Commission of Evangelism
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
and the State of the Church, both of the Methodist Church.
Warner was married to the former Helen Elsea and had a son, Stewart.
Episcopal ministry
Upon his election as a Bishop he was assigned to the Ohio Episcopal Area, where he served as Resident Bishop from 1948 to 1964. From 1964 until his retirementRetirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
in 1968 he was based in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
as bishop of the church for Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
Bishop Werner was a Mason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
and a member of Kiwanis
Kiwanis
Kiwanis International is an international, coeducational service club founded in 1915. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Current membership is 240,000 members in 7,700 clubs in 80 nations...
. He enjoyed horseback riding as a leisure
Leisure
Leisure, or free time, is time spent away from business, work, and domestic chores. It is also the periods of time before or after necessary activities such as eating, sleeping and, where it is compulsory, education....
activity. He died of heart failure at his Saint Petersburg, Florida home.
Selected writings
- And We Are Whole Again.
- Real Living Takes Time, Nashville, Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1948.
- No Saints Suddenly, Nashville, Abingdon Press, 1963.