Jay Arthur Garrison, chancellor for the Holston Annual Conference, died April 24 in Knoxville, Tenn., after a long illness. He was 63.
“Jay was well respected in Holston. In his role as chancellor he understood the great value of personal relationship between himself and the bishop. He modeled servant leadership for all of us,” said Del Holley, the head of Holston’s delegation to General Conference.
Garrison was elected a delegate to General Conference 2012 for the first time. First alternate Paul Brown of Johnson City, Tenn., is taking Garrison’s place with the delegation.
“As part of the Judicial Council, Jay was faithful to Scripture in seeking to interpret the language of our Discipline,” Holley said. “Holston Conference will miss Jay’s leadership. The Holston delegation joins with other voices across our conference and the United Methodist connection to express our condolences to Jay’s family, and we continue to lift
them in prayer during our work together in Tampa.”
Garrison was a lifelong member of Fountain City United Methodist Church in Knoxville. He was elected first lay alternate to the Judicial Council, The United Methodist Church’s highest judicial body, in 2008.
“My belief is that our lives should be committed to and led by the gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” Garrison told an interviewer in 2011. “The Holy Scripture contains all things necessary for salvation and the Book of Discipline should be maintained in our Wesleyan tradition as a covenant of trust of our doctrine and policy.”
Services will be Monday, May 7, at Fountain City United Methodist Church, Knoxville.
“He faithfully taught a Sunday school class and sang in the choir for many years. This is very difficult for our church and community,” said the Rev. Jim Whedbee, Fountain City senior pastor.
This article originally appeared in the Daily Christian Advocate, the onsite publication of General Conference, page 1936, April 26, 2012.
Funeral home obituary and service details
See also:
- "Holston delegation nominates Garrison for Judicial Council" (The Call, 9-27-11)
- "At Lunch: Jay Garrison, conference lawyer" (The Call, 5-6-05)