Timothy Wayne Whitaker

I thank him for believing in me with my final appointment during his tenure as our Bishop. Dr. Daniel Parrish

I was inspired by Bishop Whittaker´s dedication to our LORD and his knowledge of the early church & th Wesley brothers. But I am most grateful for how he supported me when I was having a problem in one of the churches I served. He was a person of grace!
David Gill

I saw Tim at our Florida Conference. He always remembered my name and asked about my wife and children. He deeply cared for us for which I am grateful.

Bishop Tim Whitaker outran us to the Father's house on Maundy Thursday. I have several memories of him etched in my mind that I'd like to share:

When he came to be our Florida Resident Bishop, he did a tour of the Districts to meet pastors and churches. In his initial address to the pastors, he claimed his role to be a Theologian-in-Residence for us. He used a phrase that I will never forget as it captured the Bishop's keen mind. "I will now come down from the heights of medieval scholasticism..." What a mind! That was my Bishop!

When Grace Church was embarking on adopting declining and closed churches as campuses, our team put together a "Playbook" to help us maintain a common mission, vision, values, strategy, structure and theology. I sent it to Bishop Whitaker for his evaluation and approval and scheduled a time to meet with him in Lakeland. I went into his office with my stomach churning, hoping that what we did was in keeping with our Discipline. I asked if he had any concerns and he said, "I do have one." Now, my stomach was in my throat. "You have as one of your core values, 'We are passionately Jesus-centered.' No, you are not, Jorge. Grace Church is passionately God-centered, Father, Son and Holy Spirit." He was right. We changed it immediately. That was my Bishop!

One summer we were together at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina and frankly, I wanted to impress my brilliant Bishop, so I said to him, "Bishop, I'm reading N. T. Wright's book, 'Surprised by Hope,'" hoping (catch it?) it would impress him. My truth was that this book was a slow read because of N.T. Wright's brilliance as well. To which Bishop Whitaker responded, "I appreciate Bishop Wright's devotional material, but what I really enjoy are his biblical and theological tome's." He lovingly put me in my place. That was my Bishop!

My last memory of Bishop Whitaker was when he and I were standing next to one another on the stage of Stuart Auditorium during his last session of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference as the Florida Bishop. The other Bishop's were appropriately wearing their robes and regalia for the worship service, but Bishop Whitaker was wearing a cotton alb with a simple rope around his waist. Such humility! That was my Bishop!

Well done good and faithful servant.

Reverend Whitaker was instrumental to my faith formation. Please know I am sending heartfelt condolences to his family.

Prayers for the whole family.
My now deceased husband David Groves was a pastor in Hillsborough and Polk County, FL and was a dear friend. Timothy will be missed and remembered by thousands of faith filled people.