Jurisdictional conferences will elect, assign bishops
United Methodist bishops take a group photograph during their October 2004 Council of Bishops meeting at Epworth by the Sea on St. Simons Island, Ga. In July, five jurisdictional conferences are expected to elect nine new U.S. bishops. A UMNS file photo by Mike DuBose
A UMNS Report
By J. Richard Peck*
With the 2008 United Methodist General Conference now adjourned, denominational attention shifts to July gatherings of jurisdictional conferences at which nine new U.S. bishops are expected to be elected.
Like the worldwide legislative meeting held April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas, jurisdictional conferences meet once every four years. However, while General Conference handles denominational matters across the globe, each jurisdictional gathering covers business related to one of the church's five regional jurisdictions in the United States.
The primary business of jurisdictional conferences is the election and assignment of bishops. Up to 11 spots for new episcopal leaders could be open due to 10 possible retirements and the resignation of Seattle Area Bishop Edward Paup, who has been elected chief executive of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.
However, it appears likely that the Northeastern Jurisdiction will elect only two bishops instead of three. And since General Conference extended the retirement age from 66 to 68, at least one of the three bishops now eligible to continue in office has indicated a desire to do so.
The conferences will meet simultaneously July 16-19 in their respective regions, except for the Northeastern Jurisdiction, which meets July 13-18. The locations are: North Central, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Northeastern, Harrisburg, Pa.; Southeastern, Lake Junaluska, N.C.; South Central, Dallas; and Western, Portland, Ore.
Here is a primer on some of the issues and changes related to this year's jurisdictional meetings:
Fewer U.S. bishops
General Conference approved a plan that will result in one less bishop in four of the five U.S. jurisdictions, beginning in 2012.
Under the new U.S. formula, all but the Southeastern Jurisdiction will have one less bishop. The Southeastern Jurisdiction already has one less than the current formula allows, and it is not requesting an additional episcopal leader.
The new formula will take effect Jan. 1, 2009, however, so it will not affect the number of bishops elected in the United States in July.
A Task Force to Study the Episcopacy, mandated by the 2004 General Conference, proposed the reduction to save money. The proposal was approved 457-401, and delegates also agreed by a vote of 435-394 that the $4.8 million anticipated savings will be used to fund new episcopal areas outside the United States. Those new areas-each to be led by a bishop-will not be created until the 2012 General Conference.
The current formula entitles each jurisdiction with 500,000 church members or fewer to have six bishops. Jurisdictions with more than 500,000 members are entitled to one additional bishop for each 320,000 members. There is a provision for additional bishops if episcopal areas average more than 55,000 square miles.
The task force noted that the current formula results in inequities in the number of churches per bishop (ranging from 256 to 928) and the number of members per bishop (ranging from 58,970 to 225,814).
The new formula provides for one bishop for every 150,000 members, or one bishop for 100,000 members in jurisdictions where episcopal areas average more than 55,000 square miles.
Retirement age and limits
The assembly also voted to raise the retirement age of bishops from 66 to 68. A bishop must retire Aug. 31 following the regular session of the jurisdictional conference if the bishop reaches his or her 68th birthday on or before July 1 of the year in which the jurisdictional conference is held.
The change, which took effect when General Conference adjourned, gives Louisiana Area Bishop William Hutchinson, Harrisburg (Pa.) Area Bishop Jane Middleton, and Charlotte (N.C.) Area Bishop J. Lawrence McCleskey the option of proceeding with retirement or serving for another four years. Middleton told United Methodist News Service she probably will continue for another term. Hutchinson and McCleskey have not made public announcements.
Before the 2008 General Conference, a bishop was required to move to a new episcopal area after serving two four-year terms unless a two-thirds majority of the jurisdictional committee on episcopacy and a two-thirds majority of the jurisdictional conference approved the bishop remaining in that appointment an additional four years. General Conference deleted the two-thirds vote requirement, so bishops may remain in an episcopal area for a third term without special action.
Assigning bishops
Twice as many U.S. delegates participate in jurisdictional conferences as in General Conference. Equal numbers of lay and clergy members are elected by their respective annual conferences.
Within each jurisdiction, a committee on episcopacy consists of one clergy and one lay person from each annual conference. The committee is responsible for reviewing the work and character of the bishops, and the committee assigns the bishops to their areas. The jurisdictional conference has the authority to affirm or reject the assignments. If the conference rejects the assignments, the committee must make new assignments.
The assignment for bishops elected at the 2008 jurisdictional conferences becomes effective Sept. 1, 2008.
In rare cases, an Inter-jurisdictional Committee on Episcopacy, elected by General Conference delegates, can transfer bishops across jurisdictional lines if the bishops and the jurisdictions consent.
Electing new bishops
People considered for the episcopacy are generally nominated by an annual conference or endorsed by jurisdictional conference delegates from the various annual conferences. Delegates from those annual conferences are not required to vote for the candidate from their conferences, and balloting is not limited to nominees. In the Northeastern Jurisdiction, a person can be endorsed by a caucus listed in the United Methodist Directory.
Each jurisdiction devises its own means of providing information about the candidates. In the Western Jurisdiction, for example, nominees are invited to give speeches and later answer delegates' questions during "fishbowl" meetings prior to the first ballot. In other jurisdictions, candidates go from one small group to the next answering questions posed by delegates.
Each jurisdiction can establish the percentage of votes needed for election. The church's Book of Discipline recommends 60 percent.
The number of required ballots varies from year to year. Voting by ballot continues until someone reaches the required number of votes.
In 2004, the Northeastern Jurisdiction elected two bishops on the first two ballots. However, it took 34 ballots for the Southeastern Jurisdiction to elect the Rev. Mary Virginia Taylor as its sixth and final bishop.
The record for lengthy elections was established in 1980 in the Western Jurisdictional Conference. In that year, the Rev. Calvin McConnell attended as chair of a Rocky Mountain Conference campaign to elect the Rev. Jamison Jones to the episcopacy. After 47 ballots, however, McConnell was elected to that office. "I hope no one ever comes near to that many ballots," McConnell said in a recent interview.
The new bishop's consecration service was scheduled for 1 p.m. but, since McConnell was not elected until 5 p.m., the service was held at 9 p.m., long after the other jurisdictional conferences had adjourned. "I had to borrow a white shirt, tie and robe for the service," said the now-retired bishop.
Candidates for bishop do not have to live within the jurisdiction where they are elected. In 1984, the Rev. Leonine T.C. Kelly was serving as pastor of a church in Richmond, Va.--part of the Southeastern Jurisdiction--when she was elected bishop in the Western Jurisdiction.
A consecration service is held at the conclusion of the jurisdictional conferences in which bishops are consecrated (not ordained) to the office, and bishops are assigned to their episcopal areas.
South Central: Bush library
The conferences also handle jurisdictional business.
The South Central Jurisdiction is expected to address a 2007 decision by its Mission Council to lease property on the campus of Southern Methodist University to build the George W. Bush presidential library, museum and policy institute.
The 21-member Mission Council serves as the executive committee of the conference to oversee ministry during the four years between jurisdictional meetings. The extent of the council's power became a central issue when SMU, which is owned by the jurisdiction, asked to give the Bush Foundation a 99-year lease for the project and make the lease renewable up to 249 years. United Methodists opposing the plan, citing the Iraq war and many Bush policies, questioned the appropriateness of linking the Bush presidency with SMU and argued that the school would have no control over the complex.
The opponents said only the jurisdictional conference can give final approval for the lease. However, university officials and 10 bishops in the South Central Jurisdiction disagreed (one abstained). They said jurisdictional rules permit the Mission Council to make decisions between sessions every four years.
Kansas Area Bishop Scott Jones, president of the South Central College of Bishops, said the bishops considered convening a special session of the jurisdictional conference. "The proposal was rejected because that is not the normal way we make decisions," Jones said.
The outcome is uncertain. David Severe, jurisdictional secretary, told UMNS that it is not clear whether the decision needs to be ratified or just reported. "It's a matter of interpretation," he said, "and I'm only the secretary."
A resolution to General Conference called for the denomination to prevent the "leasing, selling or otherwise participating in or supporting the presidential library for George W. Bush at Southern Methodist University." The assembly referred the resolution to the jurisdictional conference.
Northeastern: New boundaries
Jurisdictional conferences are responsible for establishing the boundaries of the annual conferences.
Meeting in concurrent adjourned sessions, members of North Central New York, Troy, Western New York and Wyoming annual conferences voted in 2007 to ask the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference to create a new episcopal area and a new annual conference from all or portions of these and/or other contiguous conferences. They propose that the Pennsylvania churches of the Wyoming Annual Conference align with the Central Pennsylvania Annual Conference, and that the Vermont churches of the Troy Annual Conference align with the New England Annual Conference.
Conversations already have taken place between Wyoming and Central Pennsylvania conferences regarding the merger of Wyoming churches in Pennsylvania.
Mark Marino, director of connectional ministries for the Wyoming Conference, said Central Pennsylvania Conference has "been very welcoming" to pastors serving in Pennsylvania.
"There's a lot of excitement about ministry in new areas," he said.
"The resolution regarding the eastern boundary of the proposed conference will be contingent on conversations among Troy, New England Conference and the churches of Vermont," said the Rev. Sidney Sadio, chair of the Northeastern Jurisdiction Boundaries Committee and pastor of New Brunswick (N.J.) United Methodist Church. "We won't put forth a resolution to the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference until we know what happens in those annual conferences and the responses of Vermont churches."
If approved by the jurisdiction, the new structure would be implemented in 2010. A special team then would begin to resolve issues of structure, policies, programs and practices. The plan would reduce the number of bishops in the jurisdiction from 10 to nine.
A UMNS Report
By J. Richard Peck*
With the 2008 United Methodist General Conference now adjourned, denominational attention shifts to July gatherings of jurisdictional conferences at which nine new U.S. bishops are expected to be elected.
Like the worldwide legislative meeting held April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas, jurisdictional conferences meet once every four years. However, while General Conference handles denominational matters across the globe, each jurisdictional gathering covers business related to one of the church's five regional jurisdictions in the United States.
The primary business of jurisdictional conferences is the election and assignment of bishops. Up to 11 spots for new episcopal leaders could be open due to 10 possible retirements and the resignation of Seattle Area Bishop Edward Paup, who has been elected chief executive of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.
However, it appears likely that the Northeastern Jurisdiction will elect only two bishops instead of three. And since General Conference extended the retirement age from 66 to 68, at least one of the three bishops now eligible to continue in office has indicated a desire to do so.
The conferences will meet simultaneously July 16-19 in their respective regions, except for the Northeastern Jurisdiction, which meets July 13-18. The locations are: North Central, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Northeastern, Harrisburg, Pa.; Southeastern, Lake Junaluska, N.C.; South Central, Dallas; and Western, Portland, Ore.
Here is a primer on some of the issues and changes related to this year's jurisdictional meetings:
Fewer U.S. bishops
General Conference approved a plan that will result in one less bishop in four of the five U.S. jurisdictions, beginning in 2012.
Under the new U.S. formula, all but the Southeastern Jurisdiction will have one less bishop. The Southeastern Jurisdiction already has one less than the current formula allows, and it is not requesting an additional episcopal leader.
The new formula will take effect Jan. 1, 2009, however, so it will not affect the number of bishops elected in the United States in July.
A Task Force to Study the Episcopacy, mandated by the 2004 General Conference, proposed the reduction to save money. The proposal was approved 457-401, and delegates also agreed by a vote of 435-394 that the $4.8 million anticipated savings will be used to fund new episcopal areas outside the United States. Those new areas-each to be led by a bishop-will not be created until the 2012 General Conference.
The current formula entitles each jurisdiction with 500,000 church members or fewer to have six bishops. Jurisdictions with more than 500,000 members are entitled to one additional bishop for each 320,000 members. There is a provision for additional bishops if episcopal areas average more than 55,000 square miles.
The task force noted that the current formula results in inequities in the number of churches per bishop (ranging from 256 to 928) and the number of members per bishop (ranging from 58,970 to 225,814).
The new formula provides for one bishop for every 150,000 members, or one bishop for 100,000 members in jurisdictions where episcopal areas average more than 55,000 square miles.
Retirement age and limits
The assembly also voted to raise the retirement age of bishops from 66 to 68. A bishop must retire Aug. 31 following the regular session of the jurisdictional conference if the bishop reaches his or her 68th birthday on or before July 1 of the year in which the jurisdictional conference is held.
The change, which took effect when General Conference adjourned, gives Louisiana Area Bishop William Hutchinson, Harrisburg (Pa.) Area Bishop Jane Middleton, and Charlotte (N.C.) Area Bishop J. Lawrence McCleskey the option of proceeding with retirement or serving for another four years. Middleton told United Methodist News Service she probably will continue for another term. Hutchinson and McCleskey have not made public announcements.
Before the 2008 General Conference, a bishop was required to move to a new episcopal area after serving two four-year terms unless a two-thirds majority of the jurisdictional committee on episcopacy and a two-thirds majority of the jurisdictional conference approved the bishop remaining in that appointment an additional four years. General Conference deleted the two-thirds vote requirement, so bishops may remain in an episcopal area for a third term without special action.
Assigning bishops
Twice as many U.S. delegates participate in jurisdictional conferences as in General Conference. Equal numbers of lay and clergy members are elected by their respective annual conferences.
Within each jurisdiction, a committee on episcopacy consists of one clergy and one lay person from each annual conference. The committee is responsible for reviewing the work and character of the bishops, and the committee assigns the bishops to their areas. The jurisdictional conference has the authority to affirm or reject the assignments. If the conference rejects the assignments, the committee must make new assignments.
The assignment for bishops elected at the 2008 jurisdictional conferences becomes effective Sept. 1, 2008.
In rare cases, an Inter-jurisdictional Committee on Episcopacy, elected by General Conference delegates, can transfer bishops across jurisdictional lines if the bishops and the jurisdictions consent.
Electing new bishops
People considered for the episcopacy are generally nominated by an annual conference or endorsed by jurisdictional conference delegates from the various annual conferences. Delegates from those annual conferences are not required to vote for the candidate from their conferences, and balloting is not limited to nominees. In the Northeastern Jurisdiction, a person can be endorsed by a caucus listed in the United Methodist Directory.
Each jurisdiction devises its own means of providing information about the candidates. In the Western Jurisdiction, for example, nominees are invited to give speeches and later answer delegates' questions during "fishbowl" meetings prior to the first ballot. In other jurisdictions, candidates go from one small group to the next answering questions posed by delegates.
Each jurisdiction can establish the percentage of votes needed for election. The church's Book of Discipline recommends 60 percent.
The number of required ballots varies from year to year. Voting by ballot continues until someone reaches the required number of votes.
In 2004, the Northeastern Jurisdiction elected two bishops on the first two ballots. However, it took 34 ballots for the Southeastern Jurisdiction to elect the Rev. Mary Virginia Taylor as its sixth and final bishop.
The record for lengthy elections was established in 1980 in the Western Jurisdictional Conference. In that year, the Rev. Calvin McConnell attended as chair of a Rocky Mountain Conference campaign to elect the Rev. Jamison Jones to the episcopacy. After 47 ballots, however, McConnell was elected to that office. "I hope no one ever comes near to that many ballots," McConnell said in a recent interview.
The new bishop's consecration service was scheduled for 1 p.m. but, since McConnell was not elected until 5 p.m., the service was held at 9 p.m., long after the other jurisdictional conferences had adjourned. "I had to borrow a white shirt, tie and robe for the service," said the now-retired bishop.
Candidates for bishop do not have to live within the jurisdiction where they are elected. In 1984, the Rev. Leonine T.C. Kelly was serving as pastor of a church in Richmond, Va.--part of the Southeastern Jurisdiction--when she was elected bishop in the Western Jurisdiction.
A consecration service is held at the conclusion of the jurisdictional conferences in which bishops are consecrated (not ordained) to the office, and bishops are assigned to their episcopal areas.
South Central: Bush library
The conferences also handle jurisdictional business.
The South Central Jurisdiction is expected to address a 2007 decision by its Mission Council to lease property on the campus of Southern Methodist University to build the George W. Bush presidential library, museum and policy institute.
The 21-member Mission Council serves as the executive committee of the conference to oversee ministry during the four years between jurisdictional meetings. The extent of the council's power became a central issue when SMU, which is owned by the jurisdiction, asked to give the Bush Foundation a 99-year lease for the project and make the lease renewable up to 249 years. United Methodists opposing the plan, citing the Iraq war and many Bush policies, questioned the appropriateness of linking the Bush presidency with SMU and argued that the school would have no control over the complex.
The opponents said only the jurisdictional conference can give final approval for the lease. However, university officials and 10 bishops in the South Central Jurisdiction disagreed (one abstained). They said jurisdictional rules permit the Mission Council to make decisions between sessions every four years.
Kansas Area Bishop Scott Jones, president of the South Central College of Bishops, said the bishops considered convening a special session of the jurisdictional conference. "The proposal was rejected because that is not the normal way we make decisions," Jones said.
The outcome is uncertain. David Severe, jurisdictional secretary, told UMNS that it is not clear whether the decision needs to be ratified or just reported. "It's a matter of interpretation," he said, "and I'm only the secretary."
A resolution to General Conference called for the denomination to prevent the "leasing, selling or otherwise participating in or supporting the presidential library for George W. Bush at Southern Methodist University." The assembly referred the resolution to the jurisdictional conference.
Northeastern: New boundaries
Jurisdictional conferences are responsible for establishing the boundaries of the annual conferences.
Meeting in concurrent adjourned sessions, members of North Central New York, Troy, Western New York and Wyoming annual conferences voted in 2007 to ask the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference to create a new episcopal area and a new annual conference from all or portions of these and/or other contiguous conferences. They propose that the Pennsylvania churches of the Wyoming Annual Conference align with the Central Pennsylvania Annual Conference, and that the Vermont churches of the Troy Annual Conference align with the New England Annual Conference.
Conversations already have taken place between Wyoming and Central Pennsylvania conferences regarding the merger of Wyoming churches in Pennsylvania.
Mark Marino, director of connectional ministries for the Wyoming Conference, said Central Pennsylvania Conference has "been very welcoming" to pastors serving in Pennsylvania.
"There's a lot of excitement about ministry in new areas," he said.
"The resolution regarding the eastern boundary of the proposed conference will be contingent on conversations among Troy, New England Conference and the churches of Vermont," said the Rev. Sidney Sadio, chair of the Northeastern Jurisdiction Boundaries Committee and pastor of New Brunswick (N.J.) United Methodist Church. "We won't put forth a resolution to the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference until we know what happens in those annual conferences and the responses of Vermont churches."
If approved by the jurisdiction, the new structure would be implemented in 2010. A special team then would begin to resolve issues of structure, policies, programs and practices. The plan would reduce the number of bishops in the jurisdiction from 10 to nine.
2008 Jurisdictional Conference Representation
North Central Jurisdiction--Grand Rapids, Mich.
North Central Jurisdiction--Grand Rapids, Mich.
276 delegates.
Northeastern Jurisdiction--Harrisburg, Pa.
252 delegates
Southeastern Jurisdiction--Lake Junaluska, N.C.
504 delegates
South Central Jurisdiction--Dallas
296 delegates
Western Jurisdiction--Portland, Ore.
80 delegates
Bishops who may retire in 2008
North Central Jurisdiction
Sharon Brown Christopher, Illinois Area
Northeastern Jurisdiction
Bishops who may retire in 2008
North Central Jurisdiction
Sharon Brown Christopher, Illinois Area
Northeastern Jurisdiction
Jane Middleton, Harrisburg Area -- With increased retirement age, she has an option to continue.
Violet Fisher, New York West Area
Susan Morrison, Albany Area -- Morrison retired in 2006 for reasons of health; Susan Hassinger is interim bishop.
The Committee on Episcopacy is proposing the election of two bishops, according to Ernest Swiggett, chairman.
South Central Jurisdiction
Ben Chamness, Fort Worth Area
William Hutchinson, Louisiana Area -- With increased retirement age, he has an option to continue.
South Central Jurisdiction
Ben Chamness, Fort Worth Area
William Hutchinson, Louisiana Area -- With increased retirement age, he has an option to continue.
Joel Martinez, San Antonio Area
Rhymes H. Moncure Jr., Dallas Area -- Bishop Moncure died in 2006; Alfred Norris is interim bishop.
Southeastern Jurisdiction
J. Lawrence McCleskey, Charlotte Area
With increased retirement age, he has an option to continue
Western Jurisdiction
Southeastern Jurisdiction
J. Lawrence McCleskey, Charlotte Area
With increased retirement age, he has an option to continue
Western Jurisdiction
Beverly Shamana, San Francisco Area
The jurisdiction is scheduled to elect two bishops because Ed Paup has resigned as bishop, effective Aug. 31, following his election as chief executive of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.
*Peck is a retired clergy member of the New York Annual Conference and former editor of Newscope, Circuit Rider, the International Christian Digest and the Daily Christian Advocate.
*Peck is a retired clergy member of the New York Annual Conference and former editor of Newscope, Circuit Rider, the International Christian Digest and the Daily Christian Advocate.
posted by TN Conference UMC @ 4:26 AM
<< Home