New Board of Bishops Announces
Regional Assignments

(L-R): David and Yvonne Roller, Matt and Marlene Thomas, David and Lavone Kendall

The newly-elected Board of Bishops of the Free Methodist Church of N.A. recently met in Indianapolis to determine the roles of each bishop for the next four years. See the release below for details.

To read more about the election of bishops and the state of the FMCNA, visit our GC Daily papers, covering all the news from General Conference 2007.

July 31, 2007

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

We greet you in the name of Jesus our Lord!

Your Board of Bishops began its first meeting today, with an extended period of discussion and prayer, seeking the Spirit’s direction for our work. We have sought to identify those ways each of us may contribute our best gifts and energy for the well-being of the Church and our common mission. Our aim will be to organize our primary work around those centers of giftedness, and thus lead the Church. In response to General Conference action we will seek to work together in providing general oversight of our national Church. Though each of us will have primary responsibility for certain conferences, we will not shape our ministries of oversight primarily by geography. We continue in prayer and dialogue to discern how best to shape our ministries.

Therefore, we are pleased to announce these lines of ecclesiastical authority.  Primary oversight for U.S. and international conferences will be as follows:

David Kendall
East Michigan, Gateway, Great Plains, Mid-America, North Central, North Michigan, Ohio, Southern Michigan, Wabash, African Area Annual Conferences; and Coordinator of oversight for the World Ministries Center.

Matt Thomas
Arizona, Columbia River, Oregon, Pacific Coast Japanese, Pacific Northwest, Rocky Mountain, Sierra Pacific, Southern California, Texas, and Asia Area Annual Conferences.

David Roller
Alabama-Georgia, Genesee, Gulf Coast, Keystone, Maryland-Virginia, New England, New South, New York, Pittsburgh, South Atlantic, Susquehanna, United Kingdom (Great Britain and Northern Ireland), and Latin America Area Annual Conferences.

We are not yet prepared to assign liaison responsibilities, pending further discussion on our approach to the role of Bishop in the Free Methodist Church.

We are encouraged by the prayers of the Church on our behalf, and are confident that the Lord is answering them as we seek His best.

Joyfully Serving,

David W. Kendall
For The Board of Bishops