Bishop Marshall Meadors dies at 90 years old
5/31/2023 - Bishop NewsBishop Marshall (Jack) Meadors, a retired Bishop of The United Methodist Church, passed away Thursday evening, May 25, 2023, in Anderson, S.C., surrounded by his loving family.
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UMC bishops meet, request for 2026 General Conference among other decisions
5/8/2023 - Bishop NewsThe bishops of The United Methodist Church (UMC) completed their Spring 2023 meeting on Friday in a gathering that was awash in the spirit of collegiality and search for the betterment of the worldwide denomination.
UMC Bishops to meet in person April 30 to May 5 – first since 2019
4/28/2023 - Bishop NewsIn the first in-person meeting since 2019, the Council of Bishops (COB) will meet April 29 – May 5, 2023, in Chicago to tackle the future of The United Methodist Church, welcome new bishops who were elected in November last year, and work on other ...
Lent Message: Time to Reclaim, Revive and Renew our UMC
2/22/2023 - Bishop NewsBishop Thomas J. Bickerton, president of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church has called on fellow United Methodists to use the Lenten Season to pray that God will create within us a clean heart and a renewed spirit.
17 New UMC bishops get warm welcome at COB meeting
12/8/2022 - Bishop NewsThe Council of Bishops (COB) of The United Methodist Church (UMC) formally welcomed 17 newly elected episcopal leaders of the worldwide denomination during a special meeting on December 1, 2022.
COB welcomes thirteen newly elected bishops
11/7/2022 - Bishop NewsThe Council of Bishops (COB) of The United Methodist Church is welcoming thirteen (13) bishops who were elected during last week’s jurisdictional conferences in the United States.
Bishop Robert H. Spain dies at age 96
9/12/2022 - Bishop NewsBishop Robert “Bob” Hitchcock Spain, a retired Bishop of The United Methodist Church, passed away on September 9, 2022, at the age of 96. He was elected a Bishop in the United Methodist Church in 1988 during the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference...
Retired Bishop John Russell dies
9/6/2022 - Bishop NewsBishop John Russell, a retired bishop of The United Methodist Church, died on Friday, September 2, 2022, at the Reunion Court of the Woodlands, Texas. He was 96.
Bishops agree on ways to tackle gun violence; church disaffiliations
8/29/2022 - Bishop NewsThe Council of Bishops (COB) of The United Methodist Church ended its summer 2022 meeting last Friday (Aug.26) with a call to act against gun violence and to create a uniform approach to the way in which bishops would deal with the process of ...
Bishops gather to discuss future of The United Methodist Church
8/18/2022 - Bishop NewsThe Council of Bishops will meet August 22-26, 2022, to discuss the future of The United Methodist Church, prepare for new bishops to be elected later this year, and address other timely topics related to their ongoing work.
UMC bishops bemoan US Supreme Court’s decision on abortion
6/25/2022 - Bishop NewsThe Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church says the decision by the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn Roe v. Wade has denied the sacred worth of women who face “the tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify ...
UMC Bishops agree to call regular sessions of jurisdictional conferences in 2022
5/27/2022 - Bishop NewsThe Council of Bishops (COB) has set the dates for regular sessions of the Jurisdictional Conferences of The United Methodist Church (UMC) to be convened November 2-5, 2022.
Bishops have authority to call jurisdictional conferences in 2022, top court says
5/20/2022 - Bishop NewsThe Council of Bishops (COB) is expressing its appreciation following the Judicial Council’s ruling today that the COB is authorized to set the date of regular jurisdictional conferences for the election and assignment of new bishops for the ...
Bishops seek ruling on application and meaning on Paragraph 2548.2
5/12/2022 - Bishop News MinistriesThe Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church is requesting a declaratory decision from the Judicial Council on the meaning and application of Paragraph 2548.2 in the Book of Discipline.
Bickerton becomes president of Council of Bishops, calls for unity
4/29/2022 - Bishop NewsThe bishops of The United Methodist Church completed their Spring meeting today in a spirit of collegiality and love for one another and the worldwide denomination.
UMC bishops offer overwhelming support to Bishop Patrick Streiff
4/27/2022 - Bishop News MinistriesIn an overwhelming decision on the third day of their spring meeting, the bishops of The United Methodist Church today affirmed support for Bishop Patrick Streiff of the Central Conference of Central and Southern Europe in the aftermath of the ...
Bishop Harvey calls on United Methodists to act as ‘the body of Christ’
4/25/2022 - Bishop NewsCOB President Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey has called on her colleagues and fellow United Methodists to remember that together, “we are the body of Christ, and when we actively start lopping off parts of the body, we cease to be who God has called us...
United Methodist Bishops gather to chart future of denomination, welcome new leaders
4/21/2022 - Bishop NewsIn the wake of disruptions and postponements due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the more than 100 bishops of The United Methodist Church will meet once again in a virtual gathering April 25 to April 29, 2022, to discuss the future course of the ...
Bishops discern ways for churches choosing to separate from UMC; seek court's guidance on Jurisdictional Conferences
3/16/2022 - Bishop NewsThe Council of Bishops in the March 15 called meeting discerned pathways for churches choosing disaffiliation and separation. They also seeking guidance from the Judicial Council on authority to call Jurisdictional Conferences this year.
UMC General Conference postponed till 2024; bishops to explore various pathways
3/3/2022 - Bishop NewsThe Commission on the General Conference today announced the further postponement of the postponed 2020 General Conference of The United Methodist Church. The next General Conference will be in 2024.
UMC bishops call for peace in Ukraine
2/24/2022 - Bishop News MinistriesA pastoral letter from Bishop Alsted in light of the tragic events in Ukraine Bishop Christian Alsted, who serves in the Central Conference that consists of Nordic, Baltic and Eurasian countries, including Russia and Ukraine, is offering a profound...
Why We Need a Black History Month - A perspective
2/3/2022 - Bishop News StatementsBy Bishop Forrest Stith Following the Emancipation of enslaved people , there were many attempts to tell the story of persons of African descent in the United States of America, some negative and some positive. It was an African American history ...
Bishop Woodie W. White honored with the Rev. Lowery Civil Rights award
1/31/2022 - Bishop NewsFormer United Methodist Church Council of Bishops President retired Bishop Woodie W. White was recently honored by the state of Georgia with the Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Lowery Civil Rights Award. The award was given during the State of Georgia’s 37th ...
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COB Executive Committee endorses Central Conference statement on vaccines
1/19/2022 - Bishop NewsThe Executive Committee of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church stands with their colleagues in the Central Conferences and their statement concerning the WCA’s plan to insure the vaccination of General Conference delegates in ...
Central Conference bishops appalled by WCA's actions on vaccine offers
1/17/2022 - Bishop News StatementsThe leadership of the Central Conference bishops of The United Methodist Church is appalled by the action of the Wesleyan Covenant Association (WCA) to assist some United Methodists, mostly in Africa, with getting vaccinations for the sole purpose of...
Former Council of Bishops President Bishop Choy dies at age 103
1/4/2022 - Bishop NewsThe Council of Bishops is saddened to announce the death of Bishop Wilbur Choy, a retired Bishop of The United Methodist Church. He died December 28 in Washington State at age 93.
COB Christmas Letter: Let's be more loving like Christ
12/16/2021 - Bishop NewsThe United Methodist Church Council of Bishops President Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey is optimistic that 2022 will offer more opportunities for United Methodists through the world to engage in increased ministry and to be more loving.
Bishops agree on narrative for the continuing United Methodist Church
11/8/2021 - Bishop News MinistriesThe Council of Bishops ended its Fall meeting on Friday having spent time in worship, plenary and covenant groups as they seek God’s guidance to lead The United Methodist Church.
Bishop Bickerton elected as next president of UMC Council of Bishops
11/3/2021 - Bishop NewsBishop Thomas Bickerton, the residential bishop of New York Conference, was elected today as the next president of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church during the bishops’ online.
United Methodist Bishops meet to discuss church future, elect new officers
10/27/2021 - Bishop NewsFacing the challenges of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church will meet November 2-5 to discuss the future of the continuing United Methodist Church, elect new officers and address other timely topics.
WMC Names Bishop Yambasu as Recipient of 2020 World Methodist Peace Award
9/3/2021 - Bishop NewsThe World Methodist Council (WMC) has named the late Bishop John K. Yambasu as the recipient of the World Methodist Peace Award for 2020. Bishop Yambasu served as The United Methodist Church (UMC) resident bishop of Sierra Leone until his untimely ...
Bishop Beverly Shamana dies at age 81
8/6/2021 - Bishop NewsBishop Beverly J. Shamana, a retired bishop of The United Methodist Church, has died. She died on August 1, 2021 at age 81. She was elected and consecrated to the Episcopacy in 2000 in the Western Jurisdiction. She was the second black woman elected ...
Former President of UMC Council of Bishops Bishop Yeakel dies at 93
7/6/2021 - Bishop NewsFormer President of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church Bishop Joseph H. Yeakel died on Sunday, July 4, 2021.
COB approves episcopal supervision recommendations for SCJ
6/2/2021 - Bishop News MinistriesThe Council of Bishops (COB) of The United Methodist Church has approved episcopal supervision recommendations for the South Central Jurisdiction (SCJ), due to the retirement of two bishops.
Bishop Daniel Arichea, retired bishop in the Philippines, dies
6/1/2021 - Bishop NewsBishop Daniel C. Arichea, Jr., a retired Bishop of The United Methodist Church, died today, June 1, 2021. He was elected bishop in the Philippines Central Conference in November 1994.
UMC Bishops end five-day online meeting; clarify key decisions
4/30/2021 - Bishop NewsThe bishops of The United Methodist Church gathered online for five days to worship, to discern ways to best offer leadership to the church in this liminal time and to hear about the exciting mission and ministry occurring across the global ...
Council of Bishops to gather in virtual meeting April 26 to April 30
4/22/2021 - Bishop NewsThe bishops of The United Methodist Church will meet April 26 to April 30 in a virtual gathering that will bring together more than 120 episcopal leaders from across the globe.
United Methodist Bishops Reconsider May 8 Special Session of General Conference
3/22/2021 - Bishop NewsThe Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church met on Monday, March 22, 2021 and decided that in the best interest of the church at this time, they would cancel the Special Session of the General Conference which was set for May 8, 2021.
Bishops call Special Session of General Conference, issue timeline forward
2/24/2021 - Bishop NewsIn response to the further postponement of the 2020 General Conference, the Council of Bishops (COB) is calling a Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC) to be convened virtually on May 8, 2021.
Retired Bishop F. Herbert Skeete dies at 90
2/11/2021 - Bishop NewsBishop F. Herbert Skeete, a retired bishop of The United Methodist Church, passed away at noon February 11, 2021.
United Methodist Church Bishops to gather in one-day session on February 18
1/28/2021 - Bishop NewsThe Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church will have a one-day virtual meeting of the more than 120 active and retired bishops on February 18, 2021 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time.
United Methodist Bishops congratulate President Biden and Vice President Harris
1/21/2021 - Bishop NewsOn behalf of the more than 12 million United Methodists throughout the world, the Bishops of The United Methodist Church congratulate former Vice President Joe Biden on his inauguration as the 46h President of the United States.
UMC Bishops offer innovative ideas for future of the global denomination
11/5/2020 - Bishop NewsIn the midst of a pandemic, racial unrest, and denominational and political anxiety, the bishops of The United Methodist Church met in a virtual format for four days to focus on the leadership necessary to chart a new future for the global ...
African bishops: Let’s make our own choices
10/30/2020 - Bishop NewsPress Release - October 30, 2020 United Methodist Bishops from Africa have voiced their continued commitment to The United Methodist Church and vowed to stay in the denomination despite the potential split expected at the next General Conference ...
United Methodist Bishops meet to discuss church future, epidemic crisis
10/28/2020 - Bishop NewsThe Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church will meet November 2-5 in the midst of a pandemic, racial unrest, denominational and political anxiety.
Bishop Warner Brown assigned as interim bishop of Sierra Leone Annual Conference
9/30/2020 - Bishop NewsThe Council of Bishops (COB) has assigned former president of the Council retired Bishop Warner Brown as the interim bishop for the Sierra Leone Area of The United Methodist Church following the death of Bishop John Yambasu who died on August 16.
United Methodist Church and Episcopal Church put full communion plans on hold
9/17/2020 - Bishop News Ecumenical Ecumenical: DialoguesThe United Methodist – Episcopal Church Dialogue Committee has agreed that it is not prudent for our churches to press forward with action on full communion next year. Instead, the Committee recommends that both bodies take up the full-communion ...
Livestream for Bishop Yambasu’s funeral
9/3/2020 - Bishop NewsThe funeral for Bishop John Yambasu, the late resident bishop of the Sierra Leone Annual Conference, set for Sunday, September 6, 2020, will be livestreamed.
Bishop J. Woodrow Hearn dies
8/31/2020 - Bishop NewsRetired United Methodist Bishop J. Woodrow Hearn died last night (August 30, 2020) at home in Galveston, Texas, after a long battle with illness. He was 89.
Bishop Yambasu’s funeral set for Sept. 6
8/21/2020 - Bishop NewsBishop John Yambasu, the late resident bishop of the Sierra Leone Annual Conference, will be laid to rest on September 6 after a series of services that will celebrate his life. Bishop Yambasu died in a road accident on August 16 on his way to ...