By Linda Green*
July 19, 2008 | DALLAS (UMNS)

United Methodists in three episcopal areas of the South Central Jurisdiction will welcome new bishops Sept. 1.

Assignments for 11 South Central bishops – including three who are newly elected – were announced July 19 during the pre-dawn hours of the final business session of the jurisdiction’s 2008 gathering in Dallas. The bishops will serve an eight-state region, with assignments running through Aug. 31, 2012.

The new bishops were consecrated later in the morning July 19 at First United Methodist Church, Dallas. The service concluded the jurisdictional conference, which began July 16. The conference is held every four years with the primary purpose of electing and assigning bishops.

Assignments for the new bishops serving in the South Central Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church:

• Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe, 57, succeeds Bishop Alfred L. Norris in the Dallas Area (North Texas Annual Conference). Norris, who retired in 2004, re-entered active service following the 2006 death of North Texas Conference Bishop Rhymes Moncure Jr. A new bishop, Bledsoe was superintendent of the Bryan/West District in the Texas Conference.
• Bishop James E. "Jim" Dorff, 61, is assigned to the San Antonio Area (Rio Grande and Southwest Texas conferences). He was area provost of the North Texas Annual Conference. He succeeds Bishop Joel Martinez, 68, who is retiring after serving the area since 2000.
• Bishop John Michael Lowry, 58, succeeds retiring Bishop Ben R. Chamness, 68, in the Fort Worth Area (Central Texas Conference). Chamness has served the area since 2000. Lowry was executive director of new church development and transformation of the Southwest Texas Annual Conference.

Assignments were also announced for the eight other active bishops in the jurisdiction. In most instances the returning bishops are serving a second term in the area.

• Bishop Robert E. Hayes Jr., 60, remains in the Oklahoma Area (Oklahoma and Oklahoma Indian Missionary conferences).
• Bishop Charles N. Crutchfield, 64, returns as episcopal leader of the Arkansas Area (Arkansas Conference).
• Bishop Scott Jones, 54, remains in the Kansas Area (Kansas East and Kansas West conferences).
• Bishop William W. Hutchinson, 66, will continue for a third term in the Louisiana Area (Louisiana Conference).
• Bishop Robert C. Schnase, 50, remains in the Missouri Area (Missouri Conference).
• Bishop Ann B. Sherer, 65, remains in the Nebraska Area (Nebraska Conference).
• Bishop Janice Riggle Huie, 61, returns to the Houston Area (Texas Conference).
• Bishop D. Max Whitfield, 63, continues for a third term in the Northwest Texas-New Mexico Area (Northwest Texas and New Mexico conferences).

Bishops may serve one episcopal area for up to 12 years. The traditional tenure is two four-year terms. However, the third term is allowable for "missional reasons." Bishops in The United Methodist Church are elected for life but must retire from active administration at the jurisdictional conference following their 68th birthday. The 2008 General Conference raised the retirement age for bishops from 66 to 68.

Bishops are charged by the church’s Book of Discipline to "guard the faith, order, liturgy, doctrine and discipline of the church" and "lead all persons entrusted to their oversight in worship, in the celebration of the sacraments, and in their mission of witness and service in the world." They are also charged "to be prophetic voices and courageous leaders in the cause of justice for all people."

News Media Contact: Linda Green, Nashville, Tenn.,  (615) 742-5470 , newsdesk@umcom.org.

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South Central Jurisdiction

Episcopal Elections