April

Bye, Bye Bishop

By Reverend Elaine J.W. Stanovsky
Seattle District Superintendent

So, OUR bishop is leaving earlier than expected. An insightful pastor (was it Bruce Smith?) said, “Now we know how our churches feel when they lose their pastor.” It’s sad. It’s disappointing. We feel abandoned. We feel worried about the future. We feel things were going soooo well. Doesn’t he love us? But we also feel proud to send him to this important work and grateful for the four years we have enjoyed!

Bishops, just like other ordained elders serve the church – the whole church. And sometimes, just like other ordained elders, their leadership is needed in another setting. So, the question takes form in many heads: HOW DO WE GET A NEW BISHOP?

Bishops are elected and assigned to their areas by the jurisdictional conferences. The Western Jurisdictional Conference will meet July 16 to 19, 2008 in Portland, Oregon. The Pacific Northwest will be represented by 12 voting delegates, half lay and half clergy. The Alaska Missionary Conference, our partner in the “Seattle Area,” will be represented by 4 voting delegates. A total of 84 delegates from across the western states will constitute the jurisdictional conference.

The first order of business at the conference will be the election of new bishops to fill vacancies. Bishop Beverly Shamana will be retiring this summer, creating one vacancy. Bishop Paup’s departure creates a second. Any ordained elder is eligible to be elected bishop. Candidates can come from across the church, not just from the Western Jurisdiction. Annual Conferences can nominate persons as a candidates for bishop. Caucuses in the church sometimes endorse candidates. Individuals who sense God’s call to this office can voluntarily ask to be considered. The delegates are responsible to elect the bishops from the eligible candidates. They learn about the candidates by reading written material about them, hearing them address the conference, interviewing them, talking to them privately, and talking to others who have worked with them and know their ministry.

Delegates cast ballots until the vacancies are filled. A 2/3 majority is required to elect a bishop. 26 ballots were required to elect two bishops in 2004.

Once new bishops have been elected, the Jurisdictional Committee on Episcopacy recommends the assignment of all the bishops to their areas. The Committee seeks to make assignments that serve the missional needs of each area. This committee consists of two members from each annual conference. The Pacific Northwest is represented by Alissa Bertsch and myself, from the 2004 General Conference delegation. We consult with the Pacific Northwest Committee on Episcopacy, chaired by Reverend John Brewer and present a profile of our conference developed by this committee.

Certain rules apply to the assignments:

• A newly elected bishop is not assigned to the area they have just been elected from except by 2/3 majority vote
• 8 years is the usual term of assignment of a bishop to an area, though this can be extended to 12 years by a 2/3 vote
• Assignments become public when they are approved by the Jurisdictional Conference on July 19, the same day newly elected bishops are consecrated. New assignments begin on September 1.