Follow-up on Funding for Episcoapal Leadership
Thank you to those who were able to attend the February 13 presentation by the GFCA on the election of Bishops. You may find linked here important documents from the gathering:
Link to national presentation
GCFA slide set in presentation
Download link to Jurisdiction Study Committee PowerPoint presentation
Actual Jurisdiction Study Committee Full Report
Summary of GCFA Explanation on Bishops Recommendation Not to Elect Bishops
Notes from the 13 discussion groups in WJ gathering.
Below you may find helpful blog posts and further analysis on the current situation:
Hacking Christianity blog by Jeremy Smith
An Open Letter to U.S. Bishops of the UMC by J.J. Warren
Open Letter from Northern Illinois Conference
Take Action
There was a call to organize 5 working groups within the WJ. Self-nominations were encouraged. But groups are likely to be small (5 to 6 people) so not all who are nominated will be selected to be part. The selection of groups will happen this week. So important to respond ASAP. Here are the groups, their episcopal and DCM leadership.
A. Role of Episcopacy in the context of the theology, mission, and ministry of the WJ - Bishop Grant & Annie Arnoldy
B. Revised Mission Statement - Bishop Karen & Carlo Rapanut
C. Boundaries/Permeable Boundaries - Bishop Minerva & Jorge Dave
D. Episcopal Assignments and plan of supervision - Bishop Bob & David Valera
E. Structure and Organization of our life together and financial considerations moving forward - Bishop Elaine & Laurie Day
For more info or to nominate/self-nominate to go to https://mtnsky-reg.brtapp.com/WJWorkGroups
Finally, there was a request to know what was in the Team of 10 report that worked with what happened in the WJ Summit meeting in November 2019.
Excerpt from a cover letter from JSC by Chair Frederick Brewington
The JSC was charged by the 2016 General Conference to “examine the current realities and missional needs of the UMC for the 21st century and recommend a process to determine the number and boundaries of the jurisdictions and episcopal areas that align with the missional priorities and common purpose of the UMC so that we live out the call of Christ as people committed to be in the Connection.” The JSC provides its report and connected petitions which we believe can serve the UMC in our current times and in the future.
The United Methodist Church Constitution empowers the jurisdictional conferences to determine the number of bishops necessary to accomplish the mission and ministry for the next quadrennium. Currently, that authority is usurped by a numeric formula in the Discipline that calculates the number of bishops for each jurisdiction. The proposals of the JSC would replace that formula with a combination of two determining factors regarding the number of bishops: a minimum number of bishops per jurisdiction 2 to be funded through the general church, and an allowance for jurisdictions to determine the number needed for their mission and ministry above the minimum. A determination by the jurisdiction of the need for a number of bishops beyond the minimum carries with it an obligation for the jurisdictions to fund those bishops. Through this legislation, the jurisdictions are empowered with this decision-making process regarding their episcopal leaders, the connectional system is preserved, and the responsibility is aligned with the Constitutional imperatives.
This provides a basis for WJ to go forward with electing some new bishops. As proposed, it would have 4 bishops. But could support 5