What Kind of Persons Ought We to Be?

Speaker(s): Robert E. Goodrich, introduction by W. Kenneth Goodson

Description: Bishop Robert E. Goodrich, Jr. (1908–1985) is introduced by Bishop W. Kenneth Goodson at the 1973 Virginia Annual Conference, United Methodist Church. Bishop Goodrich was a prominent leader in the United Methodist Church, notably serving as the Bishop of the Missouri Area (including the East and West Conferences) from 1972 until his retirement in 1980. Before his election to the episcopacy, he spent 26 years as the senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Dallas (1946–1972), where he became a pioneer in religious broadcasting. He was known for his media presence, including the program "The Pastor Calls," which addressed real-life problems through a religious lens. Elected as a bishop in 1972, he oversaw United Methodist conferences in Missouri during a period of significant denominational growth and administrative transition. He was the son of Rev. Robert E. Goodrich Sr., also a Methodist minister. His wife, Thelma Quillian Goodrich, was a noted painter and musician who supported his ministry until his death in 1985. Posthumously, he was inducted into the United Methodist Association of Communicators Hall of Fame in 1990 for his contributions to religious communication.

Length: 29:42
Recording Date: June 12, 1973
Recorded at: Roanoke, Virginia - Civic Center Coliseum