“So, I believe we should be sharing the love of Jesus and teaching people what it means to be a disciple and the community should be different – in a positive way, of course, – because the church is here”.
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Graves, 58, was elected Wednesday, July 13, at the jurisdiction’s quadrennial meeting at Lake Junaluska, N.C.
Ive had several ask if I would be continuing as your pastor this year, and the answer is yes, Johnson said in the newsletter. At 52 years old, I am excited that my next phase of life will be as an episcopal leader.
Lewis was the first bishop elected by the 376 delegates, an equal number of United Methodist clergy and laity, from the nine states that form the Southeastern Jurisdiction, according to the report.
“This is no surprise”, Cason said.
As bishop of the Western Jurisdiction, she will oversee churches in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.
Now serving as district superintendent of the Atlanta-Decatur-Oxford District, Lewis is a native of Statesboro in the South Georgia Conference and a lifelong United Methodist.
Bryan earned a bachelor of science degree from Tulane University and a doctorate in ministry from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. “My ministry has been blessed”. Bischoff has served as the pastor of churches in North Sebago, Columbia, Rockland and Troy.
The UMC has deep divisions on LGBT rights – but earlier this year a group of 111 United Methodist Church clergy came out in a letter to senior church officials in defiance of the rules.
A statement said: “Reconciling Ministries Network celebrates with great joy the election of the first openly lesbian bishop in The United Methodist Church”.
A consecration service for newly elected bishops was held Friday in Stuart Auditorium at Lake Junaluska.
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Fairley now serves as the chief mission strategist and spiritual and administrative leader to 96 churches and 134 active pastors in a geographic area that includes Raleigh, Cary, Garner, Clayton, Smithfield, Benson, Goldsboro, Knightdale and Wendell.
