Bishops in the Western Jurisdiction get assignments

July 17, 2004     

SAN JOSE, Calif. (UMNS)—Three of the six United Methodist bishops based in the West are being continued in their current areas for the next four years.

The assignments for episcopal areas -- announced July 17 during the Western Jurisdictional Conference – will take effect Sept. 1.

During the conference, the six bishops decided to connect the Alaska Missionary Conference, which was part of the Oregon-Idaho Conference, to the Pacific Northwest Conference, for proximity, practicality and more effective connection.

One bishop, Edward Paup received a new assignment.  The bishops continuing their assignments for a second term are Warner Brown, Beverly Shamana and Mary Ann Swenson.

Two pastors just elected as bishops were given their first four-year term assignments during the July 14-17 conference in San Jose, Calif.

The assignments are:

Bishop Warner Brown--Denver Area, covering the Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone Conferences.

Bishop Minerva Carcaño-- Phoenix Area, covering the Desert Southwest Conference.

Bishop Robert Hoshibata—Portland Area, covering the Oregon-Idaho Conference

Bishop Edward Paup—Seattle Area, covering the Alaska Missionary Conference and the Pacific Northwest Conference.

Bishop Beverly Shamana—San Francisco Area, covering the California-Nevada Conference.

Bishop Mary Ann Swenson—Los Angeles Area, covering the California-Pacific Conference, which includes Hawaii, Guam and Saipan.

* News media contact Linda Green, (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.