United Methodists consider new Northeast boundaries
Wyoming Annual (regional) Conference delegates vote
to approve creation of a new annual conference that replaces two current
episcopal areas in the Northeast Jurisdiction. A UMNS photo by Don
Perry.
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By United Methodist News Service*
Nov. 16, 2007
When delegates to the Northeastern Jurisdiction of The United
Methodist Church meet next July, they could decide to merge two
episcopal areas, folding four conferences into one.
The jurisdictional boundaries committee is expected to consider the
proposal – coming from four United Methodist annual (regional)
conferences largely based in New York – when it meets in February.
The new episcopal area and its one conference essentially would replace
two current episcopal areas – New York West and Albany – and reduce the
number of bishops in the jurisdiction from 10 to nine. The proposed date
for the change is in 2010.
On Oct. 6, members of the four annual conferences in Pennsylvania, New
York and Vermont linked together electronically and overwhelmingly
approved the resolution in a historic special session.
Christine Doran leads singing as Bishop Violet Fisher joins
in during the North Central New York Annual Conference special session. A
UMNS photo by
Sharon Fulmer.
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The resolution reads: “The people of the North Central New York, Troy,
Western New York and Wyoming, in order to revitalize the mission of The
United Methodist Church in the region to make disciples of Jesus Christ,
agree to request the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference to create a
new Episcopal Area and a new Annual Conference from all or portions of
these and/or other contiguous conferences, with the Pennsylvania
churches of the Wyoming Annual Conference considering alignment with the
Central Pennsylvania Annual Conference and the Vermont churches of the
Troy Annual Conference considering alignment with the New England Annual
Conference, to be implemented in 2010.”
Both the Wyoming Conference, which includes some churches in
Pennsylvania, and the Troy Conference, which has some Vermont
congregations, had passed enabling resolutions related the possibility
of realigning conference boundaries along state lines.
Through an Internet connection designed specifically for the Oct. 6
special session, all clergy and lay members present at the four
locations came face-to-face with their counterparts.
Bishop Violet Fisher presented a message from Liverpool, N.Y., where the
North Central New York Conference was in session. Bishop Susan
Hassinger was at Marywood University in Scranton, Pa., for the Wyoming
Conference, then appeared on screens in Liverpool and Jamestown, N.Y.,
as well as Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vt., to present her part
of the message for the opening worship service.
Retired Bishop S. Clifton Ives, who served in West Virginia, presided in
Western New York, and retired Bishop F. Herbert Skeete of New York
presided in the Troy Conference.
“Three years ago, our four conferences began a dialogue which revealed a
strong commitment and desire to respond effectively to Christ’s claim
upon our lives and service,” Fisher said.
“We have been engaged in a spiritually grounded and prayerful process of
discernment. We have been listening attentively for God’s will for our
lives … for our future.”
Hassinger noted that the denominational boundaries have not always been the same as the current ones.
The four effected conferences vote simultaneously on Oct. 6 to approve the boundary changes. A UMNS photo
by Don Perry.
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“We know we have not been all that we might be,” she added. “Often, we
focus more on survival and maintenance than on reaching out in
21st-century ways that connect Christ with the people around us. In our
local congregations and in our annual conferences and in the general
church, we struggle how to provide the mission and service and outreach
that Christ asks of us when financially and numerically we are
declining.”
According to a formula in the United Methodist Book of Discipline,
the number of bishops in a jurisdiction is based primarily on church
membership. The recent membership decline in the Northeastern
Jurisdiction meant a reduction in bishops was probable.
The Rev. Jan Marsi, who leads the Wyoming Conference’s boundaries task
force, also told the special session delegates it is expected that the
denomination’s 2008 General Conference will receive recommendations to
reduce the number of bishops in each of the five U.S. jurisdictions by
one.
Marsi pointed out that since the four conferences were among the
jurisdiction’s smallest and the Albany Episcopal area was the last
formed, in 1990, “we in these four annual conferences have had reason to
feel that changes would likely affect our areas.”
The Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding, chairperson of North Central New York
Conference’s boundaries task force, said the four conferences believe
the new episcopal area with its one conference can fulfill a new
missional strategy for the region.
“We look toward the creation of a new annual conference which is strong
enough to recruit and deploy leaders creatively, to support the
ministries of its local churches and to communicate powerfully beyond
our church walls,” he said.
*Information for this story was provided by directors of communications
for the four conferences: Sandra Brands, Troy; Sharon Fulmer, North
Central New York; Don Perry, Wyoming; and Marilyn Kasperek, Western New
York.
News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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Resources
Troy Conference
Wyoming Conference
North Central New York Conference
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