The Council of Bishops is issuing the following statement, written by the bishops who served on the Commission on a Way Forward and approved by the Executive Committee of the Council of Bishops this week.
Read MoreThe Secretary of the General Conference has announced that an error was made in the text of a proposed Constitutional amendment as it was presented for voting, and which subsequently failed to pass. Amendment #1 of the five constitutional amendments that were approved by the 2016 General Conference--and which narrowly failed to be ratified--included a sentence which had been removed by the legislative body.
Read MoreThe Council received the report from the Commission on the Way Forward (COTWF) and discerned our recommendation to the called session of the General Conference in February 2019 (GC19). For four days, we discerned what our recommendation would be.
Read MoreUnited Methodist bishops, meeting in Chicago, engaged in a prayerful process to discern a way forward. Having received and considered the extensive work of the Commission on a Way Forward, the Council of Bishops will submit a report to the Special Session of the General Conference in 2019
Read MoreThe theme for this year is “Navigating Uncharted Waters” and while we talk, pray, and learn with one another about all the uncertainties in our world and for our denomination, there is one thing that is certain – we will be prepared for the session, thanks to the many, many hours of volunteer and staff time that goes into making our annual conference a hospitable, comfortable, well run event.
Read MoreShepherding is really about leading; leading by example, listening, caring, risking in the midst of the precarious places we find ourselves, and reaching out from whatever place we find ourselves, so as to make it better, more Christ-like, more loving, and holy.
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