SCJ Episcopacy Committee discusses needs for next quadrennium

The South Central Jurisdiction Committee on the Episcopacy conducted its spring meeting Feb. 24-25, and members discussed with the College of Bishops about episcopal leadership needs for the upcoming quadrennium.

Episcopal elections occur during Jurisdictional Conference every four years. One of the committee’s duties is to recommend the number of bishops to elect. In a press release, the committee said it is mindful of various factors that could impact that recommendation, including actions taken by General Conference and subsequent annual conference sessions. Therefore, a final recommendation will be developed prior to the South Central Jurisdictional Conference, probably in late June. 

The committee said it can affirm: 

• Jurisdictional Conference will be conducted in The Woodlands, Texas, July 15-18, 2020. 
• During the conference, three retiring bishops — Michael McKee (North Texas), Mike Lowry (Central Texas) and W. Earl Bledsoe (Northwest Texas and New Mexico) will be celebrated, and as many as three new bishops will be elected.
• Episcopal assignments will be made. 
• The Episcopacy Committee will meet again, along with the College of Bishops, on June 23 to discuss the decisions of General Conference and any relevant actions of the constituent annual conferences. At that meeting, the committee will discern the exact number of elections to propose to the Jurisdictional Conference. The Jurisdictional Conference will decide the final number to elect on the opening day of the conference.
• Episcopacy Committee members will meet with their conference delegations in the coming weeks to share more about possible scenarios and to receive input.
• The committee remains open to the possibility that a special session of the Jurisdictional Conference may be needed in 2021 or 2022 if further elections are needed. 

The committee asks for your prayers for the bishops and the committee in the months ahead.

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