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Bishops

General Church

United Methodist leaders pray during a Feb. 27-28 summit in Nashville, Tenn., focused on the future of episcopal leadership. This week, the denomination’s Judicial Council will take up questions related to the allocation of U.S. bishops going forward. Photo by Andrew Jensen, General Council on Finance and Administration.

Church leaders chart new future for bishops

As they wait for a big decision by The United Methodist Church’s top court, church leaders say they are already collaborating like never before to strengthen the episcopacy.

General Church

Bishop Gift K. Machinga (right) prepares to cut the ribbon at Mikundi Dairy Farm in Mikundi, Malawi, during his first visit to the country. Machinga says the church-run farm is a beacon of the income-generating projects he envisions for his episcopal area, which includes Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Botswana. He is joined by the Rev. Daniel Mhone (center), superintendent of the Malawi Provisional Conference, Kephus Mtambo (left), the farm’s project coordinator, and community members. Photo by Francis Nkhoma, UM News.

Bishop’s visit signals new hope in Malawi

After years of legal turmoil in the country, Bishop Gift K. Machinga meets with church leaders to hear about challenges, create a roadmap for future.

Bishops

Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr., presides over a session of the 2024 United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, N.C. Saenz, who leads the Horizon Texas Conference, is co-convener of the design team for this October’s Leadership Gathering. He and other organizers hope to engage all United Methodist in the gathering through a survey and through webinars scheduled January through March. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Bishops ask all to help shape church’s future

The Council of Bishops is inviting all United Methodists to participate in a historic denomination-wide survey and join in a series of webinars to prepare for this October’s Leadership Gathering.

Bishops

Retired Bishop José Gamboa Jr. served as the first resident bishop of the Davao Episcopal Area in the southern Philippines. He died Dec. 22 at age 97. Photo courtesy of Union Theological Seminary Philippines.

Bishop Gamboa remembered as humble shepherd

e educator and trailblazing United Methodist leader pioneered mission in the Philippines’ Davao Episcopal Area. Gamboa died Dec. 22 at age 97.

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