Bishop Marion Edwards, retired as a bishop and pastor of The United Methodist Church, died early Monday morning at Columbus Hospice House.

His most recent pulpit was at St. Luke, where he served from 1988-1996. He was bishop of the North Carolina Conference, based in Raleigh, from 1996-2004.

He was 71.

“Bishop Marion Edwards was a banner-carrier for God — a man who was deeply loved by his family, St. Luke Church, the South Georgia Annual Conference, the Raleigh episcopal area, the Southeastern Jurisdiction and the whole church,” said the Rev. Hal Brady, D.Min., senior pastor of St. Luke. “Bishop Edwards represented the very best The United Methodist Church has to offer, and he will be greatly missed.”

The funeral is 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Luke, 1104 Second Ave. The family will receive friends 5-7 p.m. Friday at Striffler Hamby, 4071 Macon Road.

For more on this story, see Tuesday's Ledger-Enquirer and Ledger-Enquirer.com