James E. Carney

District Superintendent 2003-2007

James E. Carney was born in Copiah County, near Wesson, Mississippi, on December 3, 1947, to Earl and Grace Alexander Carney. Earl Carney was pastor at Springhill UPC near Wesson, Mississippi, at that time. They had six children: Charles Ray, Donald Earl, Maxine, Judith, Annie Rose, and James.

James grew up at State Line, received the Holy Ghost at the age of eight, in April 1956, at the State Line UPC where his dad pastored. He attended Tylertown High School, received an Associate of Business Degree from Southwest Community College and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.

From an early age, he was very active in church work as his dad was his pastor. However, in 1985, he answered the call of God and began his own ministry. He received his license with the UPC in 1986, in the Mississippi District, and was ordained by Bishop G.R. Travis. His first pastorate was at Woodlawn UPC in Columbia, Mississippi, in February 1987, where he served as pastor until November 2013, when he transitioned to Bishop upon the election of his son, Jerron, as Lead Pastor.

James Carney and Jean Hickman were married on May 31, 1968. She was the daughter of Reverend Bobby Hickman and Mae Rushing Hickman. Her grandparents were Reverend Dexter Rushing and Grace Wallace Rushing. From their blessed union, Reverend and Sister James Carney brought into this world two sons, Jay and Jerron.

Bishop James Carney, the father of two, husband to one, has been a pastor and mentor to thousands. Bishop Carney’s ministry has been marked with excellence and honor. He served the Mississippi District UPCI as District Superintendent from 2003-2007.

It was during his second year as District Superintendent of the Mississippi District that the great and deadly hurricane named Katrina ripped through the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2005, leaving many of the Mississippi UPC churches in great disarray. Compassion Services International (CSI) came to Mississippi’s rescue by assisting with personnel and funds. Global Missions Director, Bruce Howell, and CSI Director, G.R. Travis, offered immediate help in the several weeks following. However as other pressing issues became apparent, CSI left the Gulf Coast and the demolished UPC churches in the hands of District Superintendent James Carney. For the next several years, he and his appointed disaster relief committee worked with each pastor to assure that their needs were met. It was a trying time for the leadership of the Mississippi District, but under the leadership of James Carney, all these needs were met.

Bishop Carney served as Section 10 Presbyter on the Mississippi District Board from 2008 until God called him home in 2021. Bishop Carney served as Chairman of the Budget Committee of the Tupelo Children’s Mansion and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Lighthouse Ranch for Boys. He also served as a Director from inception of the UPCI Loan Funds, served on the Loan Committee and the Loan Delinquency Committee with the oversight of 65 million dollars in loans to UPCI churches throughout the U.S. and Canada.

He previously served on the Board of Directors for Gateway College of Evangelism, Jackson College of Ministries, and State Director of Harvestime Radio Ministries. Also, he was a cost analyst for International Paper Company from 1969-1974 and General Manager and Secretary/Treasurer for T. L. Wallace Construction, Inc., from 1974-1989, when he became Pastor of Woodlawn UPC.

He founded and hosted Impact Conference at Woodlawn for many years, a conference which encouraged and equipped the ministry and laity.

Bishop Carney was a man of extraordinary compassion, integrity, and unwavering faith. His ability to connect with people on a deep level was truly remarkable. He possessed a unique gift of making everyone feel special, regardless of their background or station in life. His love for humanity was evident in every interaction, leaving an enduring impact on all who knew him. His legacy lives on through his family, church family, and all the lives he touched in his community and around the world.