Minnesota ‘Wisdom Council’ lifts all voices

By Lilla Marigza
March 13, 2026 | MINNEAPOLIS (UM News)

Members of the Minnesota Conference Wisdom Council meet regularly with conference leadership to discuss items on the liturgical calendar. The Wisdom Council is a panel designed to make sure historically underrepresented people have a say in the work of the Minnesota Conference. Image from video by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Bishop Lanette Plambeck says she saw an opportunity for “transformational leadership through deep listening” to inform the work of her episcopal areas in Minnesota and the Dakotas. UM News reporter Lilla Marigza takes us inside a meeting with the “Wisdom Council,” a group of people who bring viewpoints from historically underrepresented voices.

The council reflects many points of intersection and diversity, including licensed local pastors, deacons, elders, Asian American Pacific Islanders, African Americans, persons with disabilities and the LGBTQ community. The group meets monthly with Appointive Cabinet to shape the work of the Minnesota Conference.

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Marigza is a multimedia producer for UM News. Contact her at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umnews.org. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.

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