Western Jurisdiction

Sandra K. Olewine elected as bishop

Western Jurisdiction delegates elected the assistant to the bishop in the California-Pacific Conference to the episcopacy on the 17th ballot.

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.

Bishops

Bishop Karen Oliveto (center) speaks with Emily Allen (left), a member of the Western Jurisdiction Committee on Episcopacy, as she introduces the next step in the episcopal election process at the 2024 Western Jurisdictional Conference on July 11 at Centennial Hotel in Spokane, Wash. The Western Jurisdiction is the only U.S. jurisdictional conference holding episcopal elections this year. Photo by Patrick Scriven, Western Jurisdiction.

Bishops in US receive assignments

Many of the denomination’s U.S. jurisdictional conferences, meeting this week across the country, have realigned their episcopal area boundaries to allow for a smaller number of bishops, and some are planning to share bishops across jurisdictional lines.

Bishops

Map of U.S. jurisdictions, episcopal areas and annual conferences. United Methodist Communications.

2 new US bishops to be elected this week

After two unexpected vacancies in U.S. bishop offices, the Western Jurisdiction now has plans to elect two new bishops.

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