About Us

Function of a bishop

Each bishop oversees the mission and ministry of an episcopal area based on the direction established by the General Conference and the local context. Bishops are elders elected by the members of a jurisdictional or central conference. Bishops in jurisdictional conferences in the United States are elected for life. In the central conferences of Africa, Asia, and Europe, the length of their service as bishops varies and may require reelection. Bishops provide spiritual leadership to the global denomination as well as to the episcopal area of one or more annual conferences to which they are assigned.

Each bishop provides day-to-day leadership of the episcopal area for a four-year term. Within their episcopal areas, bishops preside over annual conference sessions and appoint ordained and licentiate clergy to local churches and other places of service, including district superintendents. By discipline, bishops may serve two terms in an episcopal area and be assigned to a third for missionary purposes. At the end of their term, bishops are then assigned to a different episcopal area by their jurisdictional or central conference. Retired bishops remain part of the council even if they are no longer in a service context. 

Function of the Council

Collectively, as a council, the bishops provide guidance for carrying out the church's mission in the world, as well as sharing teaching, training, and advocacy for justice and unity. In addition, the Council strives to build relationships with Methodist churches and other traditions through ecumenical partnerships. The Council also assigns bishops to general agency boards and other ministerial bodies. The Council is administratively led by an executive committee, which includes a president and other officers. Every four years, the Council selects a bishop to present the episcopal address at General Conference.

Executive Committee

President: Bishop Tracy Smith Malone, Indiana Episcopal Area

President-designate: Bishop Ruben Saenz, Jr., Horizon Texas Episcopal Area

Secretary: Bishop L. Jonathan Holston, Alabama-West Florida Episcopal Area

Executive Secretary: Bishop Gregory V. Palmer, Retired, North Central Jurisdiction

Ecumenical Officer: Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, Retired, Southeastern Jurisdiction

Ecumenical Officer: Bishop Rosemarie Wenner, Retired, Germany Central Conference

Past President: Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton, New England/New York Episcopal Area

See list of bishops