McMurry University news release
Robin Daniels, Vice President of Marketing and Communicationser.

Bishop Robert Schnase of the Rio Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church will be speaker for the baccalaureate service at McMurry University on Friday.

The service will be held in Radford Auditorium beginning at 5:30 p.m. In January, Schnase also was named presiding bishop of the New Mexico Area of the UMC.

“We were very happy to hear of the assignment of Bishop Schnase as the presiding bishop to the New Mexico Conference of the United Methodist Church in January of 2022,” McMurry University Chaplain Rev. Marty CashBurless said. “McMurry has had the tremendous benefit of many years of students from New Mexico attending and graduating from the University.”

Prior to his current assignment, Schnase served as the bishop of the Missouri Conference from 2004-2016. He is also the author of several be stselling books, analyzing the systems of ministry and how to cultivate fruitful congregations.

“We have the special honor of including one of his candidates for ministry to be a part of the baccalaureate service,” CashBurless said. “Ms. Bethany Duke, who is attending Candler School of Theology at Emory University this fall, will have the chance to introduce Bishop Schnase in the service. We are so pleased that he is able to make time from a very busy schedule to help us give our graduating seniors a final outstanding worship experience on May 13th.”

Before his election as bishop, Schnase served for 15 years as senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in McAllen, Texas. He also served congregations in Harlingen, Texas, and in Great Britain. Schnase is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and Perkins School of Theology.

After Baccalaureate, commencement is set for Saturday, May 14, at 10 a.m. in Wilford Moore Stadium.