Bishop Tom Berlin

Denomination: United Methodist Church (UMC)

Early Life

Tom Berlin is a native of Winchester, Virginia. His faith in Christ was formed at Braddock Street UMC in Winchester, in a family that remains active in The United Methodist Church today in the communities in which they live. He received a call to ordained ministry while serving as a summer counselor at the Tennessee Outreach Project (Mountain TOP), a mission camp in Ozone, Tennessee.

Education and Ordination

Bishop Berlin attended Virginia Tech and received a BS in business with a major in public administration. He received his Master of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. Bishop Berlin was ordained an elder in 1990.

Ordained Ministry

At the beginning of his ministry, Berlin served the Brucetown-Welltown UMC Charge and Toms Brook UMC. He served churches of all sizes in the Virginia Conference, including 25 years as the Lead Pastor of Floris UMC, a multi-site, multi-staff congregation near the nation’s capital. He believes in the value of our connectional church and cares deeply about its vitality and unity. He longs for a church where all people feel that they belong. Tom has experienced the power of our global connection through Floris’s partnership with the Sierra Leone Conference of The United Methodist Church, helping to create and support the Child Reintegration Centre and Mercy Hospital. He is a speaker and author of books that focus on the Christian life and stewardship and has co-authored books on church leadership.

Episcopacy

Bishop Berlin was elected as a Bishop of The United Methodist Church on November 2, 2022, by the Southeastern Jurisdiction and was assigned to serve the Florida Episcopal Area beginning January 1, 2023.

Connection

The bishop has chaired the Board of Governors at Wesley Theological Seminary, led delegations to General Conference, and served on the Commission on a Way Forward and the team that created the Protocol of Grace and Reconciliation through Separation. In a time of difficulty in The United Methodist Church, he finds hope in the love and resurrection of Christ and the ways he sees the Holy Spirit active among those committed to the congregations where they live and serve.

Family

Tom is married to Karen, and they have four daughters. These five women have enabled him to grow in sanctification and see people and life in ways he would have missed without them. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, woodworking, and hiking.