South Central Jurisdiction College of Bishops Announce Retiring Bishops to Remain Through November 2021

Bishop Robert Farr, president of the SCJ College of Bishops, announced in a letter to the chairs of conference episcopacy committees that the three bishops who were scheduled to retire effective Sept. 1, 2020 will continue as the episcopal leaders of their respective conferences through the postponed SCJ Conference in November 2021. Those bishops are

Bishop Lowry, who had previously stated in a video update to the conference on April 23 that he planned on remaining through the next Jurisdictional Conference, and that neither he nor any of his fellow bishops had any intention of abandoning their  responsibilities to the local churches and people of the conferences they are so privileged to serve. So, while this news was not unexpected, Bishop Lowry is gratified that the decision has been officially made.

"I am honored to remain the Resident Bishop of the Central Texas Conference through the postponed 2020 Jurisdictional Conference. Jolynn and I have been deeply blessed by our shared ministry together,” commented Bishop Lowry.  “I share with my fellow bishops scheduled to retire that it is important to continue episcopal supervision during this time COVID-19 and the upcoming General Conference vote on the ‘Protocol for Separation.’ Together, I believe the Lord is leading us through this time of crisis to a new spring in the life of the Central Texas Conference.”
 
The announcement that the Bishops Bledsoe, Lowry and McKee would continue in the current assignments ended the months-long discussion and speculation as to how retirements, elections and assignments of bishops would proceed in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to have the three bishops scheduled to retire this year remain in the roles was affirmed by the Council of Bishops.
 
“I’m pleased with the decision that has been made by the SCJ and now affirmed by the Council of Bishops,” said Steve McIver, chair of the Central Texas Conference Episcopacy Committee. “In these uncertain times in the UMC, with the current pandemic to the pending schism in the church, I think it is a very wise move to keep effective leadership in place.”
 
“These bishops were very effective local church pastors before they were elected as bishops,” Steve continued. “I’m sure they didn’t want to leave their flocks in times like these.”
 
In the letter to the conference episcopacy committee chairs, Bishop Farr also shared that the SCJ College of Bishops had decided that all other SCJ bishops would remain in the current assignments through the November 2021 Jurisdictional Conference, and that the election of any new bishops will only occur at that rescheduled SCJC.
 
A copy of the letter is below.