First Church Baldwin, United Methodist

Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton was appointed as the spiritual leader of the 409 United Methodist congregations in the New York Annual Conference in the fall of 2016.

As a part of his episcopal responsibilities, Bishop Bickerton served as the President of the Council of Bishops from 2022 - 2024. He also serves on the General Board of Global Ministries, the Standing Committee on Central Conference Affairs, the University Senate, and the Commission on the General Conference. He also serves as President of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) which is primarily responsible for the church’s global health initiative as well as disaster response initiatives both domestically and globally.

Bishop Bickerton was elected to the episcopacy in 2004 and served the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference from 2004-2016. Most recently he served as the chairperson of The United Methodist Church’s Global Health Initiative which deals with the church’s response to the killer diseases of HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria. This effort, through the church’s Imagine NO Malaria campaign, raised over $70 million dollars within the denomination to eliminate malaria-related death across the world.

A native of West Virginia, Bishop Bickerton began his pastoral career as a student pastor serving a six-point charge. He later was pastor of medium and large membership churches as well as serving as a District Superintendent. As he worked in partnership with laity, the churches he served experienced significant growth in the number of baptisms, professions of faith, and members. His church in Shady Spring, West Virginia grew from 85 to 225 members in his six years there, and during his nine years at the Forrest Burdette church in Hurricane, West Virginia, the membership more than doubled from 585 to 1368. The Bishop remains committed to the idea that the vitality of the local church is the key to carrying out the church’s mission to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” and, as a result, spends significant time preaching and teaching in local settings as well as working with his cabinet and staff in centering the life of an Annual Conference around facilitating the ministry of the local church.

BIOGRAPHY

Bishop Bickerton’s life has been significantly shaped by involvement in ministry beyond the walls of the local church. His work with Volunteer-in-Mission teams in his home state, as well as in Africa, Argentina, Israel, Mexico, Russia, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Gulf Coast, has given the Bishop a “true global perspective on the need to be in ministry to all of God’s children.”

Bishop Bickerton earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in sociology and psychology from West Virginia Wesleyan College (1980), a Master’s of Divinity degree from Duke University Divinity School (1983), a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary (1994), an honorary doctorate from West Virginia Wesleyan (2015), and an Honorary Doctorate from United Theological School (2023). He has also served as an adjunct faculty member at United, teaching Wesleyan doctrine and United Methodist polity.

Bishop Bickerton has also served the ministry of the wider church over the years in the General Commission on Archives and History, the General Commission on United Methodist Communications, and the General Commission on United Methodist Men.

Bishop Bickerton is the author of the book and accompanying study resources entitled, What Are We Fighting For: Coming Together Around What Matters Most and a contributing author to the book, The Future of the United Methodist Church.

The Bishop is an avid sports fan and enjoys travel, playing golf, and photography.

He and his wife Sally are the parents of Elizabeth (Chris Carrubba), T.J. (Claire), Ian and Nick, and the proud grandparents of Holden James Carrubba who was born in August, 2018, Lilly Elizabeth Bickerton who was born in September, 2020, Austin Dwight Carrubba who was born in August, 2021, and Thomas James Bickerton III who was born on November 8, 2023.

Biography – Reverend Richard (Ric) Hanse, Superintendent, Long Island East District

Ric grew up in Northport and Babylon, Long Island and worshiped at Union UMC in East Northport and Babylon UMC. 

Ric received his associate’s degree from Suffolk Community College, Brentwood where his grandmother, Elizabeth Lawton Hanse was an English professor. He graduated from Stony Brook University with a BA in Social Sciences and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

In January 1992 of Ric’s senior year at Duke University Divinity School, he was appointed to serve Kipling UMC in North Carolina.

In June, 1997 Ric came home to the New York Annual Conference when appointed to West Hartford United Methodist Church. During his nineteen years of service, the church underwent a $1.7 million renovation, added a second worship service, and became a diverse faith community, committed to serving the people of Greater Hartford.

Ric was appointed to First Meriden UMC in 2016 and in 2021 began working with District Superintendent Sylvester to craft The New Room, a blended cooperative parish in which five churches were served by a pastoral team (Revs. Ric Hanse, Sun Joo Lee, and Chinma Uche) and worked together in single administrative and ministry structure that created an environment of creative support, and innovative ministry.

In June, 2024 Ric was appointed by Bishop Bickerton to serve as the Long Island East District Superintendent.

God’s greatest gift to Ric is his family.

On 21 May, 1988 Lisa Cordes and Ric were married at Union UMC, East Northport. Ric and Lisa met in 9^th grade science class. They have three children: Ashley, Anna, and Jonathan.

Ric’s and his Uncle Lance care for his Grandmother, Elizabeth Lawton Hase who is 104.

Ric’s greatest joy is enabling people to come alive in Jesus Christ to be shining beacons of God’s love in the world. When people discover what makes them come alive, they offer Christ to others in ways that are creative, winsome and inspiring. Ric is convinced that working together as cooperative parishes is the best way come alive in Christ and to ensure that our best days are ahead of us!