UMC North Central Jurisdiction prepares for realignment
Dakotas and Minnesota to become new Episcopal Area in 2012
By Matt Kuzma
January 26, 2010
CHICAGO - The United Methodist Church (UMC) North Central
Jurisdiction (NCJ) College of Bishops announced its decision today on
how it will reduce the number of Episcopal Areas from 10 to nine in
2012. Effective September 1, 2012, the Dakotas Annual Conference and
Minnesota Annual Conference will be served by only one bishop, but
maintain their current boundaries and structures. No other boundaries
of annual conferences or episcopal areas will be affected by this
decision.
The reorganization comes as a result of action at
the 2008 General Conference of the UMC. Four of the five jurisdictions
in the United States are each required to phase out one episcopal area
by 2012.
"We regret that financial considerations have
forced us to make this decision," said Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton,
president of the NCJ College of Bishops. "Regardless, we know that
nothing will prevent us from our mission to make disciples of Jesus
Christ for the transformation of the world."
In exploring this issue, The NCJ College of Bishops
consulted with the NCJ Committee of the Episcopacy and considered input
from lay and clergy leaders at the most recent Jurisdictional
Conference in 2008.
"We will be forming a joint transition team in the
next couple of weeks to begin our planning," said Bishop Sally Dyck of
the Minnesota Area.
Bishop Deborah Kiesey of
the Dakotas Area said that she hoped that all United Methodists in the
jurisdiction will support each other during this transition. The
Bishops will request an immediate grant of $40,000 from the NCJ Mission
Council to cover initial transition costs, as well as ongoing support
for the conferences forming the new episcopal area.
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