South Central Jurisdictional Conference Review

I've just returned to Tulsa from Rogers, Arkansas, where I was privileged to serve as a delegate from the Oklahoma Conference to the South Central Jurisdictional Conference.  Normally, jurisdictional conference occurs only once every four years following General Conference and usually in July.  Pandemic related difficulties pushed the 2020 JC to November of 2022.

Within the polity of The United Methodist Church, we have jurisdictions within the United States which are geographic boundaries aligning conferences of similar cultural regions.  Currently, the Oklahoma Conference (where my appointment Boston Avenue resides) is a part of the South Central Jurisdiction.  Our jurisdiction contains the following annual conferences: Great Plains (Nebraska and Kansas), Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Indian Missionary (OIMC), North Texas (Dallas area), Central Texas (Ft Worth area), Northwest Texas (Lubbock area), Rio Texas (San Antonio area), Texas (Houston area) and New Mexico (which also includes parts of Texas just to the south of the state). 

At Jurisdictional Conference, we elect bishops from any of the active elders within The United Methodist Church.  While any elder is eligible for election, the South Central Jurisdiction has only elected bishops from within its own conferences (rather than lifting up elders from other jurisdictions).  This year, because of disaffiliation-related losses, we did not elect any bishops and rather reassigned episcopal areas.  The new areas of coverage were announced at jurisdictional conference.

Bishop Nunn

The Oklahoma Conference is currently served by Bishop Jimmy Nunn until the end of August which is when his retirement will take effect.  His episcopal area includes the Oklahoma Conference, the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference and the Northwest Texas Conference.  I have appreciated Bishop Nunn’s leadership, serving with him on the cabinet through the difficult disaffiliation period of our denomination.  He has earned his retirement as much as any bishop in The United Methodist Church!  Bishop Robert Schnase also retired at this conference.  He serves until September, the Rio Texas and New Mexico conferences and may be best known as an author who wrote books such as Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations.

Bishop Merrill

Starting September 1, Boston Avenue will have new episcopal leadership in Bishop Laura Merrill.  Bishop Merrill will be the first female bishop to serve the Oklahoma Conference!  I am excited to have Bishop Merrill serve in this capacity and supported her election in November of 2022.  We have known each other for just a little while as we went to seminary together at Candler School of Theology only a few short years ago.  Bishop Merrill has the qualities to excel as our bishop.

Her episcopal area will include Arkansas, Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference.  These three will remain separate conferences and each have their own leadership with Bishop Merrill giving oversight to each.  While Oklahoma was previously paired with OIMC and Northwest Texas, we will now be paired with OIMC and Arkansas. 

Other changes in the jurisdiction are that Northwest Texas, Central Texas and North Texas will combine into one conference (instead of remaining as three separate annual conferences) named as the Horizon Texas Conference starting September 1.  Bishop Ruben Saenz will serve this new conference.

New Mexico was left unassigned regarding episcopal coverage.  While it was not announced, my understanding is that they will likely be paired with the Desert Southwest Conference in the Western Jurisdiction.  A Western Jurisdiction bishop will be offering oversight to New Mexico.  Years ago (long before I became a pastor), Oklahoma was paired with New Mexico as an episcopal area.

Bishop Wilson

Bishop David Wilson will continue to serve the Great Plains Conference and is near and dear to our hearts being elected as the first Native American bishop in the denomination out of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference.  Others maintaining their areas include Bishop Delores Williamston who will continue to serve the Louisiana Conference and Bishop Bob Farr who will continue to serve the Missouri Conference.

Bishop Cynthia Harvey will serve a new episcopal area consisting of the Texas Conference (where she's been serving) and the Rio Texas Conference. 

The challenges of episcopal leadership in this day and age loom large.  Churches are still recovering from both COVID and disaffiliation and many haven’t been financially sound enough to pay their apportionments to the denomination.  Pastors are less willing to itinerate than in the past.  Conference budgets have shifted downwards due to the recent losses.

But the possibilities and potential also loom large.  We are more united than we have been in my history as a pastor (I was ordained in 1996 and began to serve on the delegation in 2004).  When churches and clergy are able to trust each other more fully, there is a greater sense of mission and purpose.  This also means that less time and resources will be spent dealing with charges brought upon our clergy and laity (which represents in-fighting and takes a lot of energy). 

I would invite you to be in prayer for Bishop Merrill as she prepares herself spiritually to lead this new episcopal area.  Bishop Nunn reminded us in his excellent sermon in closing worship that God is not yet through with The United Methodist Church!  It is definitely worth watching.  I believe that United Methodists will face the overall decline in Christianity in the United States with new vigor.  As we lead with grace, may God grant us new momentum in the years to come!