The five jurisdictional conferences in the US United Methodist church have held elections of bishops and introduced significant resolutions, all of which point to the kind of future the United Methodist Church in the USA is building. Two sources give their takes on what that future might look like.
UM-Insight has this story: Grassroots Resolutions Point Toward UMC's Future, an exclusive by Cynthia B. Astle, November 10, 2022
Months of conversations among jurisdictional conference delegates resulted Nov. 2-4 in a historic event when all five U.S. regions approved three resolutions that repudiate The United Methodist Church's past and point the way toward a more inclusive future.
While the resolutions aren't binding on jurisdictions or annual conferences, their topics and the strong majorities by which most were approved signify that a clear shift has taken place, say United Methodist leaders. Furthermore, conference delegates foresee that the process by which they worked across jurisdictional lines portends more grassroots activism ahead of the 2024 General Conference, the UMC's worldwide legislative assembly now slated to take place April 23-May 4, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. More...
The United Methodist News Service story has another good summary of the actions of the jurisdictional conferences. Here are highlights:
Jurisdictions see shift in bishops, more cooperation
By Heather Hahn, Sam Hodges and the Rev. Tom Kim
Nov. 7, 2022 | UM News
The five jurisdictional conferences — meeting simultaneously across the U.S. — elected a new class of United Methodist bishops that includes a higher percentage of women and people of color than previous election cycles.
The 13 new U.S. bishops, who take office Jan. 1, are taking the helm as The United Methodist Church faces the ongoing fallout of a global pandemic and a slow-motion separation after decades of debate on LGBTQ inclusion. ...
Even amid mounting church disaffiliations, those who plan to remain United Methodist showed signs of greater unity — collaborating across jurisdictional lines in trying to set the direction of the denomination’s future. For example, all five jurisdictions approved similarly worded petitions that aspire to a future United Methodist Church “where LGBTQIA+ people will be protected, affirmed, and empowered in the life and ministry of the church.” ...
This year saw the election of these bishops:
- Bishop David Wilson, the denomination’s first Native American bishop, by the South Central Jurisdiction. Wilson is Choctaw.
- Bishop Carlo A. Rapanut, the denomination’s first Filipino American bishop, by the Western Jurisdiction. He is also the first U.S. bishop ordained in a United Methodist central conference, the counterparts of U.S. jurisdictions. The central conferences are in Africa, Europe and the Philippines.
- Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez, the first Hispanic/Latino bishop in the Northeastern Jurisdiction.
- Bishop Delores “Dee” Williamston, the first Black woman bishop in the South Central Jurisdiction.
- Bishop Cedrick D. Bridgeforth, the denomination’s first openly gay and married Black male bishop, by the Western Jurisdiction. The Western Jurisdiction previously elected Bishop Karen Oliveto, the denomination’s first openly gay and married white female bishop in 2016. The Book of Discipline, the denomination’s policy book, bans the ordination of “self-avowed practicing” gay clergy, and the Judicial Council has ruled that the status of married gay bishops is subject to review within their jurisdiction. ...
Both the Southeastern and Western jurisdictions also took time out of their work to grapple with the racism faced by some of their bishop candidates....
A group of South Central Jurisdiction delegates took a moment of personal privilege to apologize for their jurisdiction’s role in challenging the election of Bishop Oliveto in 2016.
“We would like to extend from our hearts to those in the Western Jurisdiction our deepest apologies for the harm that we have done,” said the Rev. Katie McKay Simpson, a clergy delegate from the Louisiana Conference, standing with other delegates. “We are so, so sorry. There is not much that can be fixed but there is certainly much we can do to usher in the new birth of a vital and vibrant church that is in store for us, starting with an awareness of a better way possible.”
Watching video of McKay Simpson’s apology the following day, the Western Jurisdiction responded with a standing ovation and plans for a more formal response. ...
All approved resolutions calling for more regional governance of The United Methodist Church. The resolutions offered specific support for the Christmas Covenant and Connectional Table legislation that would create a U.S. regional conference.
Supporters say the regional approach would create more equity in governance and allow the Book of Discipline to be adapted more easily for missional effectiveness.
The Rev. Magrey deVega, a Florida Conference delegate, spoke for the resolution before the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference, saying more regional governance “offers an exciting and hopeful vision of The United Methodist Church.”...
The five jurisdictional conferences also approved a resolution titled “Queer Delegates’ Call to Center Justice and Empowerment for LGBTQIA+ People in the UMC.”
Among other things, the measure calls for annual conferences to either not pursue or resolve through a non-punitive, just resolution process any complaints against clergy regarding their sexual orientation or officiating at same-sex weddings.
Jesi Lipp, a lay delegate from the Great Plains Conference, co-sponsored the resolution in the South Central Jurisdictional Conference, and in a floor speech argued that gay people continue to face discrimination as they try to participate fully in the denomination.
“Too many of us are still not seen,” Lipp said....
The jurisdictional conferences also weighed in on disaffiliation, approving resolutions asking that those who are committed to leaving The United Methodist Church refrain, as a matter of integrity, from serving in leadership roles as their time in the denomination winds down....
The South Central Jurisdiction is seeing hundreds of local church disaffiliations, and South Central Jurisdictional Conference delegates heard an impassioned floor speech about that from the Rev. Stan Copeland on Nov. 3.
Copeland, pastor of Dallas’ Lovers Lane United Methodist, specifically faulted some United Methodist bishops for providing “promotion and support” to the breakaway, traditionalist Global Methodist Church, which some disaffiliating churches are joining.
In what may have been the single most widely shared line from the five jurisdictional conferences, Copeland implored the South Central College of Bishops to hold accountable fellow episcopal leaders who aren’t fully committed to The United Methodist Church.
“Simply stated, one cannot play for the Astros and pitch for the Phillies,” Copeland said....
The Western Jurisdiction Conference's report is here:
Episcopal assignments announced, bishops consecrated, inclusive legislation passed
by Western Jurisdiction UMC | Nov 7, 2022
Highlights:
After electing three new bishops on Friday, delegates to the Western Jurisdictional Conference learned on Saturday (Nov. 5) bishops new and recently elected were assigned to episcopal areas for the remainder of the 2020-2024 quadrennium. In addition to that, significant pieces of legislation were approved that will help the Western Jurisdiction to work toward a more inclusive, de-colonized church.
“It’s a new era for the people called United Methodist in the Western Jurisdiction,” said Bishop Karen Oliveto of the Mountain Sky Conference, who also is the president of the Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops...
Bishop Carlo A. Rapanut assigned to Desert Southwest Conference...Rapanut is the first Filipino-American to serve as a United Methodist bishop in the United States. He is also the first bishop ordained in a central conference who will serve in the U.S. He is grateful for his roots, for his culture and heritage, leading him into this new leadership role.
Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth assigned to Greater Northwest Area...Bridgeforth’s election makes him the first openly gay man to serve in an episcopal role. While he acknowledges the groundbreaking history he has made, he has many gifts which he said he will bring to the role of bishop...
Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank assigned to the California-Pacific Conference..She was raised along the border in Nogales, both on the U.S. and Mexican sides. She believes The United Methodist Church, especially in the Western Jurisdiction, is poised to be an example of what it means to be the church right now in the world – through relationships, community engagement and what she described as John Wesley’s “perfecting love” by including those who live on the margins of society and don’t have a seat at the table....
Bishop Minerva Carcaño will be re-assigned to the California-Nevada Conference and Bishop Karen Oliveto will return to the Mountain Sky Area
Legislation on CONAM, LGBTQIA+ ministries adopted
Delegates of the Western Jurisdiction elected a diverse group of bishops and voted on legislation that establishes more representation at the jurisdictional level to bring more voices to the table.
The Western Jurisdiction Committee on Native American Ministries was officially established and given a $25,000 budget to create a ministry plan which will be adopted at the next Western Jurisdictional Conference. Additionally, the LGBTQIA Ministries of the Western Jurisdiction was approved with a $3,000 line item to start with. This came after the area approved legislation called “Queer Delegates’ Call to Center Justice and Empowerment For LGBTQIA+ People in The UMC.”
The WJ endorsed the Christmas Covenant legislation for General Conference 2024. Delegates also approved legislation titled “Leading with Integrity” to ask those no longer interested in the future of The United Methodist Church to exit gracefully without casting any votes that could further harm the future of The United Methodist Church....