Bishop Julius C. Trimble made visible his commitment to higher education, and to our United Methodist-related universities by spending a full weekend at the University of Evansville February 17-19. He began by attending a dinner gathering of the university’s Board of Trustees on Friday evening at the historic Haub House in Haubstadt, Indiana. After an evening of getting acquainted with members of the Board and various University personnel, Bishop Trimble was up early on Saturday for a tour of the extraordinary, and recently renovated, National Guard Armory, now a university property and home to several of UE’s Division I teams. Following the Armory tour, the Board of Trustees meeting was called to order. Bishop Trimble was introduced as one of the newest Board members and was invited to offer the opening prayer, after which, he participated fully and supportively in the deliberations.
“We value our historic affiliation with the Methodist church and I am pleased to welcome Bishop Trimble to the University of Evansville’s Board of Trustees and to the Indiana Area,” said University President, Thomas A. Kazee.
At the conclusion of the day’s work, which included a lunch with the UE Alumni Board, Bishop Trimble was joined for dinner at the Rolling Hills Country Club in Newburgh by the Rev. Dr. Philip A. Amerson and spouse, Elaine; and University Chaplain the Rev. Dr. Tamara K. Gieselman, and spouse, Rev. Mitch Gieselman. Dr. Amerson served as the Edgar M. KcKown keynote speaker as part of the University’s 163rd Founders Day observance on Sunday, providing a compelling address, Truth on the Scaffold: Living Toward an Ecology of Hope.
Following the Founders Day service, at which Bishop Trimble brought episcopal greetings, he was joined at a popular Evansville barbecue restaurant by Southwest District Superintendent Steve Beutler and his wife Jayna, along with other UM clergy.
Bishop Trimble clearly will not be a stranger at UE, and that it will be his ongoing desire to maintain and strengthen the relationship between the University and the Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church.