Jurisdictional Conference

Members of the Interim Committee on Organization for the U.S. Regional Conference, called I-ROC for short, stand together in front of the Upper Room Chapel at the conclusion of their first meeting together July 16-18 in Nashville, Tenn. The group is responsible for organizing the inaugural session of the U.S. Regional Conference, now planned for spring 2029. Photo by JP Penrod, General Council on Finance and Administration.

Planners set time for US Regional Conference

Organizers are beginning to plan The United Methodist Church’s inaugural U.S. Regional Conference. While excited about the work, the group faces some big challenges.

General Church

The five U.S. jurisdictions, which each consist of multiple annual conferences, first came into being in 1939. While regionalization leaves the current jurisdictions in place, a group of United Methodist leaders are looking at proposing changes to the denomination’s constitution to allow each regional conference, including the U.S., to decide whether to have jurisdictions. Map from The United Methodist Church Handbook 2025-2028 courtesy of ResourceUMC.

Church leaders explore future of jurisdictions

United Methodist leaders are considering a proposal to leave the existence of jurisdictions up to each of the newly created regional conferences, including the U.S.

Bishops

Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, who leads the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware conferences, anoints the forehead of Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez during the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference held July 10-12 in Pittsburgh. To the left is Bishop John R. Schol and Bishop Marcus Matthews. Photo by James Lee, courtesy of the United Methodists of Eastern Pennsylvania Facebook page.

US sees big changes in bishop assignments

In a history-making development, two United Methodist bishops will lead conferences across jurisdictional lines. The change results from unprecedented levels of collaboration among jurisdictional leaders.

Bishops

The Rev. Kristin Stoneking speaks after being elected to the episcopacy by The United Methodist Church’s Western Jurisdiction on July 12 in Spokane, Washington. Stoneking was elected on the 11th ballot. Photo by Patrick Scriven, Western Jurisdiction.

Jurisdiction elects Kristin Stoneking as bishop

The United Methodist studies professor at the Pacific School of Religion has been elected a bishop by The United Methodist Church’s Western Jurisdiction. She is the denomination’s third openly gay and married bishop.

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