Showers, John Balmer

John Balmer Showers (1879-1962) was an Evangelical United Brethren Church bishop and church leader. He was born near Paris, Ontario, Canada, son of the Reverend Joseph and Margaret Showers. His childhood was spent in the small towns and open country of Onotario Province where his father served as pastor of United Brethren churches. John Showers was educated in Canada at an early age. He obtained a license to preach in United Brethren church at eighteen. Showers graduated from Lebanon Valley College (B.A., 1907) and Bronebrake (now United) Theological Seminary (B.D., 1910). He did graduate study at Chicago University (1910-1911) and Berlin University (1911-1912). A research trip was taken to the Far East in 1922. Showers married Justina Lorenz in April 1911.

He was licensed to preach by a local church in 1898 and by the Ontario Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ in 1899. In 1902 he was ordained by the Erie Conference. Showers served several pastorates including Dechard circuit (1900-1903) and Bradford Station (1903-1904) in Pennsylvania. He was at Westfield College (1906-1907) in Illinois and Belmont Mission in Ohio (1908-1910). From 1910 to 1926 Showers was professor of New Testament Literature and Interpretation at Bonebrake Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. In 1926, Showers became the associate editor of the "Religious Telescope." He remained in that position until 1933. From 1931-1933 he was an associate publishing agent for the denomination. In 1933, he became publisher of "The Otterbein Press," a position he held until 1945. The General Conference of 1945 elected John Showers to the episcopacy and he was assigned to be bishop in the Eastern Area. He was later assigned to supervise the North Central Area. In 1954, Showers retired as emeritus bishop. From 1954 to 1962, he lived in Dayton, Ohio. He died on September 25, 1962 and was buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery in Dayton Ohio.

In 1933, he became publisher of "The Otterbein Press," a position he held until 1945.