Lawrence Franklin Sherwood Jr., a young man from Roncevert, West Virginia, graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1947.
While a student, Lawrence was very active on campus including:
- Sigma Alpha Sigma (Local Scholarship Society)
- Alpha Psi Omega (National Dramatic Fraternity)
- Playshop
- Ministerial Association
- Christian Service Fellowship
- Community Council
- Student Union Council
- Awards Committee
- Religious Activities Committee
Seen in this photo seated next to Dr. Ralph C. Brown on the front row, Lawrence Sherwood’s student days brought him into close contact with Giant faculty members and mentors. In particular, his interactions with Dr. George Glauner (who taught History from 1922-66) and Dr. Ralph C. Brown (who taught Bible and Religion from 1922-61) seem to have greatly impacted his life’s work. Dr. Brown was an ordained Methodist Minister, and Dr. Glauner was an active preacher as well. Both were members of the West Virginia Annual Conference.
Harvey Harmer, WVWC Trustee from 1906-37 and Trustee Emeritus 1937-61, was also very active in the West Virginia Methodist Historical Society, and was likely an influence and source of great information for young Lawrence. Both Harmer and Glauner served as the top officer in the Methodist Historical Society for multiple terms.
Lawrence Sherwood was honored with a Doctor of Divinity Degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1964. I would imagine that few people in attendance could have been prouder of him than Dr. Brown and Dr. Glauner.
Beyond Campus
Lawrence did not limit his leadership to campus. He was also very active in state and regional organizations, even as World War II raged and created hardships at home and abroad. For example:
- In April 1946 he was elected state treasurer for the Methodist Student Movement.
The United Methodist General Commission on Archives and History includes this description of the Methodist Student Movement:
The Methodist Student Movement has its direct roots with the Wesley Foundation campus ministries which was founded by James Baker in 1913 at the University of Illinois. With the intellectual and political higher landscape became more complex after World War 1 and the great Depression, there created a need to provide a progressive pastoral, yet prophetic, style of ministries for this new kind of college student. In 1938, the Methodist Student Movement was born in anticipation of church union among the three largest American Methodist bodies in 1939. Methodist college and seminary students now had a national platform to press forward their concerns on how the church specifically and society generally should be shaped while drawing on the vast resources of the new denomination to sustain its momentum. MSM was organized geographically by jurisdictions, regions and states along with a national board to promote its varied social interests of race, war, peace, ecumenism, new theologies, and art. Perhaps their greatest legacy comes in the form of their cutting edge magazine called motive. The movement’s high point of national influence came during the 1950 and 1960’s when American society began to radically reexamine its norms and mores which created great social upheaval. By 1969, the Methodist Student Movement burned itself out and disbanded to make room for a new focus on more ecumenical understanding rather than denominational.
- In November 1946 he attended the regional Student Christian Movement meeting at Jackson’s Mill.
- In April 1947 he served as a delegate to the Northeast Jurisdictional Spiritual Life Conference held at Auburn University.
West Virginia Annual Conference
1947 was a big year for Lawrence. Besides graduating from WVWC, he became a provisional member of the West Virginia Annual Conference.
Proceeding to Garrett Theological Seminary for further study, Lawrence earned his masters degree in 1949. That same year he received his Deacons Orders. The following year he was ordained Elder and became a full member of the conference, serving from 1950 until his retirement in 1996. The work that he did in that 46 year period of time is unmeasurable in terms of lives he touched.
Of course, retirement just gave him more time to pursue his love of Methodist History, both in West Virginia and denomination-wide.
History Hero
On June 10, 2011, at Annual Conference, Lawrence Sherwood was presented a Distinguished Historian Award for his historical research, writing, and teaching.
ARCHIVES AND HISTORY: Ginnie Lowther (clergy, Retired and Chair of
Archives and History) highlighted the upcoming celebration of the 225th anniversary of Old Rehoboth. She then introduced Lawrence Sherwood (clergy, retired) who has written a new book, “Francis Asbury Tours in West Virginia.” After reading a portion of Asbury’s diary, he presented a copy of the book to Bishop Grove and one for Bishop Lyght. Joe Kenaston (clergy, Lewisburg) shared insights about Bishop Francis Asbury. Rev. Kenaston will be portraying Bishop Asbury at the celebration at Old Rehoboth. Ginnie Lowther and Bill Wilson (clergy, Director of Connectional Ministries) presented Lawrence Sherwood with a plaque designating him as “Distinguished Historian,” citing his many years of dedication to the history of the conference.
Along with work in the West Virginia Annual Conference on the Methodist Historical Society, and later the Commission on Archives and History, Lawrence was recognized beyond the borders of the conference for his historical work.
In 2014, he was honored by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History with a History Hero Award. His citation read:
A retired United Methodist pastor, Lawrence Franklin Sherwood Jr. serves on the West Virginia Annual Conference Commission on Archives and History. He was a charter member of the conference historical society and its first vice president, and he also has served as a vice president of the National Association of Methodist Historical Societies. For many years, Sherwood has been considered the “Historian in Residence” of the annual conference and in 2011 he was presented a Distinguished Historian Award for his historical research, writing, and teaching. His publications include “History of West Virginia Methodism” (1964) and The Tours of Bishop Francis Asbury in West Virginia, 1776-1815″ (2011).
In June of 2018, Lawrence Sherwood was one of two national recipients of the Ministry of Memory Award which was presented by the Historical Society of the United Methodist Church.
Tribute to Lawrence Sherwood
Lawrence Sherwood died on September 6, 2019 at the age of 93. He was at that time the longest-serving minister in the West Virginia Annual Conference.
Bishop William Boyd Grove wrote a beautiful tribute to him, which was shared on social media as well as read at his memorial service. It says exactly what I have been trying to say.
Today, while my body has been in Tennessee, my mind and spirit have been in Oakland Maryland with the family and friends of my dear friend and colleague.
Lawrence Sherwood
A tributeHe made Old Rehobeth new again.
He taught us who we have been,
Pioneers of the Spirit,
And who, by grace, we might be again.He introduced us to those riders of the circuit
Who slept by campfires,
And read their bibles
By the light of the moon.He quickened our spirts so we could ride with Asbury,
“Prophet of the long road;”
Crossing the mountains, fording rivers
Of what we would one day call
“Almost Heaven!”When the angels came for him
He was senior member of his conference;
The longest link in the chain
Of what has been.When he arrived at “the house not made with hands,”
Waiting by the door was Bishop Asbury!
Welcome home Lawrence.
I’ve been waiting a long time for you!”William Boyd Grove