Episcopal Office
Episcopal Services is the ministry hub for our bishop as they serve the Church in honoring our history and guiding us into our future. The bishop serves as a General Superintendent to the Global Church and as the chief missional strategist of the Indiana Conference to advance the mission and provide spiritual leadership to United Methodists throughout the Conference. The ministry of the Office of the Bishop connects at every level of the Conference and is embodied in the areas caring for each local church, the Connection, the brotherhood and sisterhood of our clergy, as well as our ministry families.
Bishop Julius C. Trimble was assigned July 16, 2016, to the Indiana Episcopal Area (Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church) by the 184 delegates of the North Central Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church meeting in Peoria, Illinois. He was elected and consecrated a bishop by the same jurisdiction in 2008 and served eight years as the bishop of the Iowa Conference before his assignment to Indiana.
Trimble is a native of Chicago and a graduate of Illinois State University. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Chicago, Ill., and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio.
He was ordained a deacon and elder in the Northern Illinois Conference where he served two churches before transferring to the East Ohio Conference. He served churches in the Cleveland area and as the District Superintendent of the Cleveland District from 1996-2003.
Recipient of many honors and awards, He received the Outstanding Alumni Award in 1998 from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and the 2007 Bishop James S. Thomas Social Action Award from the Methodist Federation for Social Action at Lakeside, OH. He continues to promote faith-based response to domestic violence and has encouraged the establishment of mental health ministries at the local church and conference level. He is also an active advocate for social justice, faith-based initiatives to address gun violence, as well as immigration reform. Trimble has preached throughout the United States and in Africa. He has also written a book, to support The United Methodist Church campaign Imagine No Malaria, A Faithful Church and a Healthy World: Reflections and Poems by Bishop Julius Calvin Trimble (2015). Trimble received 2015 Peace and Justice Award from Iowa Conference MFSA. In December 2017, he was the Graduation Keynote speaker at United Theological Seminary Dayton, Ohio, where he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity for leadership in area of Global Health and Global Justice.
Trimble has been married since May of 1978 to First Lady Racelder Grandberry-Trimble, a professional counselor and graduate of Methodist Theological School in Ohio. They are the parents of three adult children: Cameron, Candiace, and Julius Thomas.
Trimble’s personal mission statement is “to encourage all people with the love of Jesus Christ to rise to their highest potential or “Be Encouraged” for short.
Trimble is a native of Chicago and a graduate of Illinois State University. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Chicago, Ill., and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio.
He was ordained a deacon and elder in the Northern Illinois Conference where he served two churches before transferring to the East Ohio Conference. He served churches in the Cleveland area and as the District Superintendent of the Cleveland District from 1996-2003.
Recipient of many honors and awards, He received the Outstanding Alumni Award in 1998 from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and the 2007 Bishop James S. Thomas Social Action Award from the Methodist Federation for Social Action at Lakeside, OH. He continues to promote faith-based response to domestic violence and has encouraged the establishment of mental health ministries at the local church and conference level. He is also an active advocate for social justice, faith-based initiatives to address gun violence, as well as immigration reform. Trimble has preached throughout the United States and in Africa. He has also written a book, to support The United Methodist Church campaign Imagine No Malaria, A Faithful Church and a Healthy World: Reflections and Poems by Bishop Julius Calvin Trimble (2015). Trimble received 2015 Peace and Justice Award from Iowa Conference MFSA. In December 2017, he was the Graduation Keynote speaker at United Theological Seminary Dayton, Ohio, where he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity for leadership in area of Global Health and Global Justice.
Trimble has been married since May of 1978 to First Lady Racelder Grandberry-Trimble, a professional counselor and graduate of Methodist Theological School in Ohio. They are the parents of three adult children: Cameron, Candiace, and Julius Thomas.
Trimble’s personal mission statement is “to encourage all people with the love of Jesus Christ to rise to their highest potential or “Be Encouraged” for short.
Larry Whitehead serves as Executive Assistant to the Bishop & Director of Connectional Ministries. Prior to taking this position, he served six years as Conference Superintendent assigned to the North District and has also served for two years as Dean of the Appointive Cabinet. Bringing a strong emphasis on missional strategy, Larry offers a consistent message to churches and pastors to abandon survival efforts for the church and to instead, discover vitality in a focus on giving ourselves away to connect people to the message of Jesus Christ. (Mark 8:35) While energized for ministry as a Conference leader, Larry loves to recharge by traveling and kayaking with his wife Susan and sharing family activities with the families of their 5 adult children including 2 grandsons.
Darlene White has worked in the Administrative industry for 12 years, gaining valuable experience in the NICU at Riley Hospital, IU Methodist Hospital in the Labor and Delivery unit, and in the Executive Leadership office at IU West Hospital. Darlene was hired by the Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church in 2014 to serve as a Conference Assistant assigned to the Connectional Team and Leadership Development Team. Currently, Darlene serves as the Administrative Assistant to the Bishop. Outside of the office, Darlene is passionate about Health and Fitness, as well as spending time with her two wonderful children and her amazing husband.
Rev. Michael Warner is the Director of Clergy Care Services for the Annual Conference. In this capacity, he provides clergy and their family members with confidential and free pastoral care conversations, coaching sessions, or assistance with locating a therapist. The creative and robust service offered by Clergy Care Services was recognized as a best practice by the denomination and featured in a nation-wide documentary. Prior to taking on this role, Mike served 29 years as an Air Force chaplain, where he provided pastoral leadership and pastoral care for thousands of military personnel and their families. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Mike likes to engage in outdoor activities with family and friends, such as boating, hiking, and snowmobiling.
Rev. Tracey Leslie has been in ministry for nearly 30 years, serving in senior and associate pastor positions and in urban and suburban contexts. She is a native of south central Pennsylvania and her ministry began in the Western Pennsylvania Conference. She is a certified spiritual director, a life coach, and author of the spiritual formation resource “Companions on the Journey: Foundational Spiritual Practices.”
She is married to Rev. Britt Leslie, PhD. Britt is also an ordained clergy, Bible professor, and Dean of the Course of Study for Indiana Conference.
She and Britt have a rescue dog, Mr. Wiggles.