Photo by José Geraldo Magalhães
The World Methodist Council wishes to extend its thanks and well-wishes to Bishop Paulo Lockmann, past President of the World Methodist Council and a Bishop in the Methodist Church in Brazil. Bishop Lockmann celebrated his retirement from Episcopal leadership recently at meetings of the Methodist Church in Brazil in late November and December. Expositor Cristão, the Methodist Church in Brazil’s award-winning publication, compiled a wonderful tribute of Bishop Lockmann’s retirement celebrations which can be viewed at https://issuu.com/expositorcristao/docs/jornal_ec_janeiro_2017/8, or downloaded. A translation of the article is below.
Bishop Paulo Lockmann: retirement is the beginning of a new stage
Lockmann retires as Bishop, but not of the ministry to which God has called him
Bishop Paul de Oliveira Lockmann, after nearly half a century serving the Lord in the pastoral and episcopal ministry of the Methodist Church, retired from institutional activities at the end of the year [2016]. The announcement took place at the 20th General Council in Teresopolis (RJ), in July last year. Even so, Bishop Lockmann continued his Episcopal activities until December and organized two councils in the 7th and 1st Ecclesiastical Regions (RE).
Born in Porto Alegre (RS), Bishop Paul was born on January 29, 1948. He graduated in Theology in 1973. He was elected Bishop at the 14th General Council in July 1987, in the city of São Bernardo do Campo (SP). He served 29 years of active episcopal ministry in the Methodist Church. For the Bishop, time passed quickly. “It seems like it was yesterday. My feeling is that life goes by so fast. Some things are passions in our life, for example, Glaucia, my wife, is a passion I have until I die. Other passions are the Bible and the Church,” he said in an interview with Expositor Cristão at the time he announced his retirement.
Because the 1st Ecclesiastical Region is one of the largest in relation to the number of members in the Methodist Church in Brazil, the feeling is of satisfaction and comfort. “I feel somewhat relieved, because I presided over two regions that practically have almost half of the Methodists in Brazil. This brought weariness and absence from the family. I did this with a lot of love, but you realize that it takes a younger person to touch it all. So much so that two bishops were elected to continue this mission,” he said. One of the characteristics that Bishop Paulo left in the 1st and 7th Regions was an active pastoral body. “I can say that 80% of the pastors who are working in the regions were ordained by me. I worked for a better generation than mine, investing people with a great episcopal and pastoral task.”
Lockmann always valued the human being, the people in their totality. “In the Church I never fought with anyone; I do not have enemies, even when there is tension, then we go there, hug, pray with the person and everything stays peaceful.”
Regarding the positions held by the Bishop, he believes that God was opening the doors during the process. “At CIEMAL, I was inducted because I studied in Buenos Aires and spoke Spanish, this helped me to be the most recommended. There are some details that God is opening doors for us. At the World [Methodist] Council, I was part of the World Evangelism Committee and I had the opportunity to teach Bible studies in various countries. People got to know me and nominated me for the presidency of the World [Methodist] Council as well.”
The Lockmann family has been in the Methodist Church for over a hundred years. All the spiritual experiences and formation of Bishop Lockmann were within the Methodist Church. “I am grateful to God for what the Methodist Church represents in my life and journey. My dream is to see it occupy the national territory with a testimony that God has given each one of us,” he concluded.
Tributes
It is a sense of duty fulfilled. In the extraordinary councils that took place in late November and mid-December for delivery of regional leadership reports and tributes, several people demonstrated in video and in person, recognizing the importance of Bishop Lockmann’s life in the Methodist Church.
Bishop João Carlos Lopes, president of the 6th Ecclesiastical Region, was one of the people who paid homage to Bishop Lockmann. “I have the privilege of working with Bishop Paulo for several decades. I have seen him in the local, regional, national and world Church always with the same fervor and with the same evangelistic passion, humility and joy in serving the Lord, “said Bishop João Carlos.
Pastor Nelson Magalhães recalled the importance of the Bishop’s life. “Bishop Paulo developed an important trajectory and left marks for all of us. He has held several presidencies. He was president of the Episcopal College, CIEMAL, 1st and 7th Regions, president of the World [Methodist] Council and member of the Evangelical Academy Of Literature of Brazil, besides being an excellent writer. It leaves a legacy of pride and admiration for all of us, “said Pastor Nelson.
Another person who draws inspiration from the life and ministry of Bishop Paulo is the president of the 4th Ecclesiastical Region, Bishop Roberto Alves de Souza. “He will always be my eternal Bishop. I always try to follow in my life the examples and the marks that he has left to reach at least 10% of what he represents for the Methodist Church,” said Bishop Roberto.
A complete video with the honors of Bishop Paul Lockmann is available on the internet. Click Here!
