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Judicial Council

Judicial Council
Retired Bishop Marcus Matthews and other United Methodist bishops process into the opening worship service of the United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, N.C., on April 23, 2024. The Judicial Council, the denomination’s top court, has released three decisions, including one related to the allocation of U.S. bishops. File photo by Paul Jeffrey, UM News.

Church court overturns bishop funding structure
The United Methodist Church’s top court has ruled unconstitutional some changes General Conference made that affect the funding of U.S. bishops.
Bishops
Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton gives the sermon during opening worship for the 2024 United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, N.C. Bickerton, who was Council of Bishops president from 2022 to 2024, is among four bishops working with a task force that is examining the workload and number of U.S. bishops with plans to make recommendations that ultimately go before the 2028 General Conference. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Group zeroes in on number, work of US bishops
A United Methodist task force is dealing with the biggest change to setting the number of U.S. bishops in nearly 90 years. The group is focusing on missional needs while also facing the aftermath of church exits.
Faith Stories
The Rev. Øyvind Helliesen, a member of The United Methodist Church’s top court since 2016, died Nov. 25, 2025. At the time of his death, he was the Judicial Council’s vice president. Photo by Kristine Helliesen.

Øyvind Helliesen mourned as ‘sage’ amid tumult
The Rev. Øyvind Helliesen served on The United Methodist Church’s top court — providing crucial guidance to the denomination in a time of division and disaffiliations. He died at age 69.
Judicial Council
Members of the 2024-2028 Judicial Council are (front row, from left) the Rev. Jonathan Ulanday; the Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe, president; the Rev. Angela Brown, secretary; and Molly Hlekani Mwayera; (back row, from left) Bill Waddell; Andrew Vorbrich; the Rev. Øyvind Helliesen; the Rev. Luan-Vu Tran; and Harriett Olson. The Judicial Council publicly released a decision on June 3 related to the Mississippi Conference’s process for allowing congregations to leave with property. Photo by Linda Bloom, UM News.

Ruling: Stop alternative church-exit plans
The United Methodist Church’s top court strikes down the Mississippi Conference’s process to let churches leave with property after the denomination’s disaffiliation policy expired.

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