Northern Europe and Eurasia Jurisdiction

The Rev. Knut Refsdal receives the episcopal pin from Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank after being elected a United Methodist bishop on April 4 at the Northern Europe and Eurasia Central Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. Refsdal, a pastor in Norway, was elected on the 26th ballot. Photo by Karl Anders Ellingsen, UM News.

Knut Refsdal elected as bishop

The Rev. Knut Refsdal, a pastor in Norway, was elected a United Methodist bishop on the 26th ballot.

Episcopal Elections of the Central Conference of The United Methodist Church. Graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Northern Europe and Eurasia Central Conference Balloting 2025

Voting has ended for episcopal elections in the Northern Europe and Eurasia Central Conference. UM News tracked the balloting as it happened and has coverage.

General Conference

Delegate Julia Stukalova (left) and other members of the Eastern Russia and Central Asia Provisional Conference react as delegates to the United Methodist General Conference, meeting in Charlotte, N.C., vote on April 25 to allow their conference to exit the denomination. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Eurasian conferences get go-ahead to form own church

The four annual conferences in Russia and its neighboring countries are leaving to form the autonomous Christian Methodist Church.

Mission and Ministry

The Rev. Jon Erik Bråthen (left) enjoys chatting with everyone he meets. Based at Porsangmoen near Lakselv in Finnmark, Norway, Bråthen is a military chaplain whose “congregants” include Sámi-speaking peoples who practice semi-nomadic reindeer herding. Photo courtesy of Emil Skartveit.

Military chaplain protects, promotes Sámi rights

In Norway, the Rev. Jon Erik Bråthen reaches out to Sámi-speaking peoples, whose best-known means of livelihood is semi-nomadic reindeer herding.

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General Church

An excerpt from a map detailing the Central Conferences Europe shows the Central and Southern Europe Central Conference (in red), the Germany Central Conference (in green), and the Northern Europe and Eurasia Central Conference, which contains the Eurasia Episcopal Area and the Nordic and Baltic Episcopal Area (in orange and blue respectively). Map courtesy of UMC.org.

Ukrainians may be moved from Russian bishop's area

Moscow-based Bishop Eduard Khegay strongly opposes an effort by some European United Methodists to move Ukraine-Moldova Provisional Annual Conference from his episcopal area.

General Church

The Rev. Sergei Nikolaev (l), president of Moscow Theological Seminary of The United Methodist Church, enjoyed a close friendship with the Rev. Bruce Weaver (r), and this photo shows a visit they had in the Dallas area two years ago. Weaver was the first leader of the Russia Initiative, which began with United Methodist relief work in Russia, and expanded to support for pastors and churches. Photo courtesy Sergei Nikolaev.

Texas pastor helped revive Methodism in Russia

The Rev. Bruce Weaver, who led The United Methodist Church’s Russia Initiative, has died at age 97.