The Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops is calling on annual conferences throughout the jurisdiction to hold elections for general and jurisdictional delegates during their 2026 Annual Conference sessions.
Kristen Caldwell
Western Jurisdiction Bishops decry militarized presence targeting immigrants in new video
Western Jurisdiction Bishops decry militarized presence targeting immigrants in new video
Save the Date: WJ Leadership Team meeting Jan. 29-31
The next Western Jurisdiction Leadership Team meeting will be held Jan. 29-31st, 2025, in Portland, Oregon. Other WJ committee meetings are scheduled to be happening that time as well. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Sandra K. Olewine elected as bishop
The Rev. Sandra K. Olewine, assistant to the bishop in the California-Pacific Conference, has been elected a bishop by The United Methodist Church’s Western Jurisdiction. Delegates elected Olewine, 66, on July 12 at the jurisdiction’s meeting at the Centennial Hotel...
Jurisdiction elects Kristin Stoneking as bishop
The Rev. Dr. Kristin Stoneking, United Methodist studies professor at the Pacific School of Religion, has been elected a bishop by The United Methodist Church’s Western Jurisdiction. She is the denomination’s third openly gay and married bishop — all elected in the...
Western Jurisdiction mourns the death of Bishop Melvin G. Talbert
With a prophetic voice and heart for social justice, bishops from the Western Jurisdiction are mourning the death last week of their colleague, mentor, and friend: Bishop Melvin G. Talbert. "Mel was an amazingly gracious, approachable, powerful church leader and...
Bridgeforth brings experience, collaborative mindset into new role as bishop
Raised in rural Alabama, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth brings a wealth of experience in diverse ministry settings, clergy coaching, teaching, writing, and work in the non-profit world to his role as a newly-elected and consecrated bishop in the Western Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church. He will serve the Greater Northwest Episcopal Area (which comprises the Alaska, Oregon-Idaho and Pacific Northwest Conferences) beginning Jan. 1, 2023.
Bishop Rapanut ready to be an authentic leader within the church
As he begins his journey as a bishop in the Western Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church, Bishop Carlo A. Rapanut reflects on how his roots as a Filipino American impacted his call to ministry and the leadership he’ll provide the people of the Desert Southwest Conference beginning Jan. 1, 2023.
Escobedo-Frank grounds herself in ministry, outreach as a bishop
As she begins the work of an episcopal leader in The United Methodist Church, Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank hopes to remain grounded in humility as she serves Christ through the local churches and communities in her new episcopal assignment: The California-Pacific Conference.
Episcopal candidates respond to IECC questionnaire regarding intercultural competencies
The Western Jurisdiction Inter-Ethnic Coordinating committee, in an effort to help delegates learn about episcopal candidates demonstrated competency in intercultural relationships, has crafted questions and curated responses from all 32 episcopal candidates ahead of next week’s jurisdictional conference.