Connectional Table

Church History
A 1961 map shows the location of churches and the borders of episcopal areas within the Central Jurisdiction, which the Methodist Church established to segregate Black members from the wider church. The union that formed The United Methodist Church in 1968 dissolved the Central Jurisdiction. During the Council of Bishops spring meeting in Jacksonville, Fla., bishops explored the legacy of the Central Jurisdiction as denominational leaders consider changes to the geographic jurisdictional system. Image courtesy of Archives and History.

Lessons from past shape jurisdictions’ future

United Methodist bishops learned more about the legacy of the segregated Central Jurisdiction and history of the jurisdictional system, as leaders contemplate possible changes to that system.
Connectional Table
Bishop Ruby-Nell Estrella of the Manila Episcopal Area shares her excitement on the Connectional Table’s October meeting being held in the Philippines. Screengrab by Matthan Bang-asan, United Methodist Communications, via YouTube by UM News.

Connectional Table lives into new vision at Philippines gathering

The October meeting provided a time for fellowship as a worldwide community and space to celebrate and discern the denomination’s new vision.
General Church
The Council of Bishops and Connectional Table have collaborated in developing a new vision statement for the denomination: The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections. Earth image by NASA Space Observatory; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Bishops unveil vision for United Methodist Church

United Methodist bishops — in collaboration with the Connectional Table — have adopted a vision that says United Methodists “love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously.”
Connectional Table
Ragghi Rain Calentine (left), a member of the Connectional Table and chairperson of the Native American International Caucus of The United Methodist Church, displays a Noohkom scarf during the Connectional Table’s Oct. 24-27 meeting in Dallas. Native American women carry the scarves to remind them that their grandmothers are always walking with them, especially during troubling times. Also pictured are North Katanga Area Bishop Mande Muyombo, chair of the Connectional Table, and Judi Kenaston, the leadership body’s chief connectional officer. Photo by Jim Patterson, UM News.

Connectional Table plans for work ahead

Members of the Connectional Table — most of whom are new to the United Methodist leadership body — met for an orientation that focused on regionalization, rejecting colonial attitudes and plans for “a new future.”

Sign up for our newsletter!

Subscribe Now
Loading

United Methodist Communications is an agency of The United Methodist Church

©2026 United Methodist Communications. All Rights Reserved