The North Central Jurisdiction College of Bishops and Directors of Connectional Ministry meeting together in Columbus, Ohio on September 20, 2017, issued the following statement:
Events in recent weeks in our country have made evident the deep persistence of racism in our society. As United Methodist leaders, we commit ourselves to continuing our on-going work to identify, resist, and dismantle racism in our churches, communities, and world, building on work which began at the Jurisdictional Conference of 2016.

We understand such work to be the work of discipleship, of growing in love of God and neighbor in the name and Spirit of Jesus Christ who is our peace and who breaks down barriers of hatred that divide (Ephesians 2:14).