Religious Leader. Charismatic man of God and leader in the United Methodist Church born to a family of humble means who become the first African American United Methodist Resident Bishop for the Florida Conference, (1996-2000). He rendered invaluable and immeasurable contributions to the United Methodist Church at so many levels of involvement. Served as Pastor and District Superintendent (1967-1968) for the North Georgia Conference, United Methodist Church. Senior Pastor, Ben Hill United Methodist Church, Atlanta, Georgia--the largest predominantly African-American United Methodist Church in the world at one time, (1976-1986, 1992-1993). President/Dean, Gammon Theological Seminary, (1993-1996). During his lifetime, Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson pastored churches, served on numerous boards, chaired many committees and traveled world wide with his wife, Dorothye leaving behind a legacy of evangelism and love. A native of Covington, Georgia, Henderson attended Fort Valley State College from 1952 to 1954. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Clark College (now Clark-Atlanta University), Atlanta, Georgia, in 1956. In 1959 he received a master of Divinity degree from Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. He matriculated at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia in 1965, and received a Master of Sacred Theology at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1969. Henderson later served as District Superintendent of the Atlanta-Emory and Atlanta North districts of the North Georgia (regional) Annual Conference; a staff member of the church wide Board of Discipleship in Nashville, Tenn.;director of the North Georgia Program Council in the U.M.C.;President-Dean of Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia and then elected a bishop in Florida by the church in the nine-state Southeastern Jurisdiction. He also founded the Concerned Black Clergy of Metro Atlanta. Henderson's many honors include a Doctor of Divinity at Clark College, a Doctor of Divinity at Gammon Theological Seminary, a Doctor of Divinity at Bethune-Cookman College, a Doctor of Laws at Dillard University, a Doctor of Human Letters at Florida Southern College, and a Doctor of Divinity at Rust College. Also Henderson was featured in Ebony Magazine in 1993 as one of the most outstanding black ministers in America. His church pastorates included Ben Hill U.M.C in Atlanta, Georgia where the membership increased during his first tenure from 400 to over 4,500 members. During his second tenure as pastor the church membership later rose up to 16,700, making it at that time the largest predominantly African-American United Methodist congregation in the world. He also pastored Andrew Chapel U.M.C. in Jonesboro, Georgia, Laster Chapel U.M.C. in College Park, Georgia and was pastor of church's in Griffin, Athens and Commerce, Georgia. Dr. Henderson's death in Dec. of 2000 after a long battle with cancer and kidney failure was a great loss to the United Methodist Church. At the time of his death, Henderson was serving on the Board of Trustees, Clark Atlanta University and was serving as chairperson of the Board of Directors. Clergy and laity, representing many different ethnic groups, denominations and parts of the United States, said goodbye to the Florida Conference Bishop days later at his funeral in Atlanta. Since his passing, persons of the United Methodist tradition still recall his many contributions and the rich legacy which he left both as an example and to inspire United Methodists at-large.Bishop Henderson dead at 66
Florida Times-Union, The (Jacksonville, FL) - Tuesday, December 12, 2000
Services will be held today in Atlanta for the first African-American bishop of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson, 66, died last week after a two-year battle with cancer.
The conference, extending east of the Apalachicola River to Key West, is made up of 743 churches and about 340,000 members.
Bishop Henderson, of Atlanta, served the church for 45 years and leaves a legacy of love and energy, conference officials said.
"Bishop Henderson brought excitement and enthusiasm to the Florida conference. He convinced us that we could do better . . . and improve we did," said Keith Ewing, the bishop's assistant.
Membership in the conference's churches increased for the first time in eight years in 1999. Ewing credits Bishop Henderson.
"He always took time to be with people," said Larry Rankin, Florida conference mission secretary. "He had a great enthusiasm to share his love for Jesus Christ, and to share it out of love, rather than out of coercion. He had a winning way of making people feel relaxed."
When out for dessert, Bishop Henderson would witness to the waitress, Rankin recalled, chuckling.
Bishop J. Lloyd Knox will serve as acting bishop until someone is chosen to serve the rest of Bishop Henderson's term, which ends August 2004, according to conference officials.
Bishop Henderson served as senior pastor of Atlanta's Ben Hill United Methodist Church.
He was appointed bishop of the Florida conference in 1996 while serving as president-dean of Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothye, of Atlanta; a daughter, Leah Dor-Lyn Henderson Smith of College Park, Ga.; and two grandsons.
Memorials may be made to Gammon Theological Seminary, ITC, 671 Beckwith St. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30314.
Florida Times-Union, The (Jacksonville, FL) - Tuesday, December 12, 2000
Services will be held today in Atlanta for the first African-American bishop of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson, 66, died last week after a two-year battle with cancer.
The conference, extending east of the Apalachicola River to Key West, is made up of 743 churches and about 340,000 members.
Bishop Henderson, of Atlanta, served the church for 45 years and leaves a legacy of love and energy, conference officials said.
"Bishop Henderson brought excitement and enthusiasm to the Florida conference. He convinced us that we could do better . . . and improve we did," said Keith Ewing, the bishop's assistant.
Membership in the conference's churches increased for the first time in eight years in 1999. Ewing credits Bishop Henderson.
"He always took time to be with people," said Larry Rankin, Florida conference mission secretary. "He had a great enthusiasm to share his love for Jesus Christ, and to share it out of love, rather than out of coercion. He had a winning way of making people feel relaxed."
When out for dessert, Bishop Henderson would witness to the waitress, Rankin recalled, chuckling.
Bishop J. Lloyd Knox will serve as acting bishop until someone is chosen to serve the rest of Bishop Henderson's term, which ends August 2004, according to conference officials.
Bishop Henderson served as senior pastor of Atlanta's Ben Hill United Methodist Church.
He was appointed bishop of the Florida conference in 1996 while serving as president-dean of Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothye, of Atlanta; a daughter, Leah Dor-Lyn Henderson Smith of College Park, Ga.; and two grandsons.
Memorials may be made to Gammon Theological Seminary, ITC, 671 Beckwith St. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30314.
Religious Leader. Charismatic man of God and leader in the United Methodist Church born to a family of humble means who become the first African American United Methodist Resident Bishop for the Florida Conference, (1996-2000). He rendered invaluable and immeasurable contributions to the United Methodist Church at so many levels of involvement. Served as Pastor and District Superintendent (1967-1968) for the North Georgia Conference, United Methodist Church. Senior Pastor, Ben Hill United Methodist Church, Atlanta, Georgia--the largest predominantly African-American United Methodist Church in the world at one time, (1976-1986, 1992-1993). President/Dean, Gammon Theological Seminary, (1993-1996). During his lifetime, Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson pastored churches, served on numerous boards, chaired many committees and traveled world wide with his wife, Dorothye leaving behind a legacy of evangelism and love. A native of Covington, Georgia, Henderson attended Fort Valley State College from 1952 to 1954. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Clark College (now Clark-Atlanta University), Atlanta, Georgia, in 1956. In 1959 he received a master of Divinity degree from Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. He matriculated at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Georgia in 1965, and received a Master of Sacred Theology at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1969. Henderson later served as District Superintendent of the Atlanta-Emory and Atlanta North districts of the North Georgia (regional) Annual Conference; a staff member of the church wide Board of Discipleship in Nashville, Tenn.;director of the North Georgia Program Council in the U.M.C.;President-Dean of Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia and then elected a bishop in Florida by the church in the nine-state Southeastern Jurisdiction. He also founded the Concerned Black Clergy of Metro Atlanta. Henderson's many honors include a Doctor of Divinity at Clark College, a Doctor of Divinity at Gammon Theological Seminary, a Doctor of Divinity at Bethune-Cookman College, a Doctor of Laws at Dillard University, a Doctor of Human Letters at Florida Southern College, and a Doctor of Divinity at Rust College. Also Henderson was featured in Ebony Magazine in 1993 as one of the most outstanding black ministers in America. His church pastorates included Ben Hill U.M.C in Atlanta, Georgia where the membership increased during his first tenure from 400 to over 4,500 members. During his second tenure as pastor the church membership later rose up to 16,700, making it at that time the largest predominantly African-American United Methodist congregation in the world. He also pastored Andrew Chapel U.M.C. in Jonesboro, Georgia, Laster Chapel U.M.C. in College Park, Georgia and was pastor of church's in Griffin, Athens and Commerce, Georgia. Dr. Henderson's death in Dec. of 2000 after a long battle with cancer and kidney failure was a great loss to the United Methodist Church. At the time of his death, Henderson was serving on the Board of Trustees, Clark Atlanta University and was serving as chairperson of the Board of Directors. Clergy and laity, representing many different ethnic groups, denominations and parts of the United States, said goodbye to the Florida Conference Bishop days later at his funeral in Atlanta. Since his passing, persons of the United Methodist tradition still recall his many contributions and the rich legacy which he left both as an example and to inspire United Methodists at-large.Bishop Henderson dead at 66
Florida Times-Union, The (Jacksonville, FL) - Tuesday, December 12, 2000
Services will be held today in Atlanta for the first African-American bishop of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson, 66, died last week after a two-year battle with cancer.
The conference, extending east of the Apalachicola River to Key West, is made up of 743 churches and about 340,000 members.
Bishop Henderson, of Atlanta, served the church for 45 years and leaves a legacy of love and energy, conference officials said.
"Bishop Henderson brought excitement and enthusiasm to the Florida conference. He convinced us that we could do better . . . and improve we did," said Keith Ewing, the bishop's assistant.
Membership in the conference's churches increased for the first time in eight years in 1999. Ewing credits Bishop Henderson.
"He always took time to be with people," said Larry Rankin, Florida conference mission secretary. "He had a great enthusiasm to share his love for Jesus Christ, and to share it out of love, rather than out of coercion. He had a winning way of making people feel relaxed."
When out for dessert, Bishop Henderson would witness to the waitress, Rankin recalled, chuckling.
Bishop J. Lloyd Knox will serve as acting bishop until someone is chosen to serve the rest of Bishop Henderson's term, which ends August 2004, according to conference officials.
Bishop Henderson served as senior pastor of Atlanta's Ben Hill United Methodist Church.
He was appointed bishop of the Florida conference in 1996 while serving as president-dean of Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothye, of Atlanta; a daughter, Leah Dor-Lyn Henderson Smith of College Park, Ga.; and two grandsons.
Memorials may be made to Gammon Theological Seminary, ITC, 671 Beckwith St. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30314.
Florida Times-Union, The (Jacksonville, FL) - Tuesday, December 12, 2000
Services will be held today in Atlanta for the first African-American bishop of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson, 66, died last week after a two-year battle with cancer.
The conference, extending east of the Apalachicola River to Key West, is made up of 743 churches and about 340,000 members.
Bishop Henderson, of Atlanta, served the church for 45 years and leaves a legacy of love and energy, conference officials said.
"Bishop Henderson brought excitement and enthusiasm to the Florida conference. He convinced us that we could do better . . . and improve we did," said Keith Ewing, the bishop's assistant.
Membership in the conference's churches increased for the first time in eight years in 1999. Ewing credits Bishop Henderson.
"He always took time to be with people," said Larry Rankin, Florida conference mission secretary. "He had a great enthusiasm to share his love for Jesus Christ, and to share it out of love, rather than out of coercion. He had a winning way of making people feel relaxed."
When out for dessert, Bishop Henderson would witness to the waitress, Rankin recalled, chuckling.
Bishop J. Lloyd Knox will serve as acting bishop until someone is chosen to serve the rest of Bishop Henderson's term, which ends August 2004, according to conference officials.
Bishop Henderson served as senior pastor of Atlanta's Ben Hill United Methodist Church.
He was appointed bishop of the Florida conference in 1996 while serving as president-dean of Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothye, of Atlanta; a daughter, Leah Dor-Lyn Henderson Smith of College Park, Ga.; and two grandsons.
Memorials may be made to Gammon Theological Seminary, ITC, 671 Beckwith St. S.W., Atlanta, GA 30314.
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