Episcopal Endorsement

The New Mexico Conference delegation to the General and Jurisdictional Conferences in 2012 recently announced its endorsement of the Rev. Jeff Lust, Albuquerque District Superintendent, for election as a bishop by the South Central Jurisdictional Conference. 

The endorsement came after a time of prayerful discernment involving discussion, reading, interviews and conversations by the delegation, said Donna TeBrink, chairperson of the delegation.

At the 2011 New Mexico Annual Conference, members voted to endorse Dr. Beverly Jones, Chaplain at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, for election.

“It is a little unusual for an Annual Conference and the delegation to endorse two different clergy persons, but it only reflects the great strength, gifts, graces and leadership both of these individuals possess,” said Bishop Max Whitfield. 

Following the announcement by the 2012 New Mexico delegation, Jones released the following statement: “I was both honored and humbled by the endorsement for the office of bishop by the New Mexico Annual Conference last June. I count it among the highest honors I could receive in my ministry. I have fully and prayerfully considered the endorsement. I fully support the process of the delegation and our endorsement of Jeff Lust for the episcopacy. I have decided not to move forward in the episcopal candidacy process without the endorsement of the delegation. I look forward to serving as a member of the delegation as we prepare for and represent the New Mexico Conference at the upcoming General and Jurisdictional Conferences.”

Candidate endorsements may be made by any group.

“I presently know individuals who have been endorsed by annual conferences, delegations, ethnic caucus groups, and unofficial organizations,” Whitfield said.

Whitfield also noted that it is unnecessary for an individual to be endorsed before they can be elected.

The Book of Discipline reserves to the annual conference the right to nominate a person for election.  It also indicates this nomination is to be made at the annual conference session immediately before the election in July. 

“It is my understanding that an endorsement and a nomination are two different processes. One is open to a number of various groups and the other reserved to the annual conference within a restricted period of time. Delegates to the Jurisdictional Conferences can elect any Elder in The United Methodist Church who is less than 68 years of age at the time of their election,” Whitfield stated.

The New Mexico delegation did elect to make an endorsement. The endorsement of Lust has been announced to the jurisdiction. Though Jones has declined endorsement at this time, she may opt to accept endorsement at a later time or have her name lifted up during the election process.

The delegation cited Lust’s leadership in various areas of The United Methodist Church.

“He is the first-elected clergy member of our 2008 and 2012 Delegations. Jeff effectively led St. Stephen's United Methodist Church in Albuquerque for 14 years creating a culture of collaboration and a focus on outward looking ministry. Attendance increased 58% and membership 89%. As the Chair of the New Mexico Annual Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, Jeff initiated sweeping changes in the requirements for provisional members, focusing on effectiveness and results.”

The South Central Jurisdiction will elect three new bishops in 2012. All 10 of the active bishops will be assigned to their residential responsibilities for the 2012-2016 quadrennium.

New Mexico will receive a different bishop in September 2012 as Bishop Whitfield will take retired status.

In preparation for 2012 General and Jurisdictional Conferences, members of the New Mexico Delegation are available to meet with churches or groups within the Annual Conference. In addition, occasional updates will be provided before the General Conference and will be sent regularly during the General and Jurisdictional Conferences.

Below is a break down of the process the delegation went through as they chose a candidate for endorsement. This was submitted by Donna TeBrink.

It is the typical practice for the delegation to begin conversations in late summer as to whether there is a clergy person in the Annual Conference that should be considered for the episcopacy.  Here are the highlights of how we spent our time over the last four months coming to the decision to endorse Jeff.

·      At our first meeting we invited Tom Simms of the Samaritan Counseling Center to join us to facilitate our conversations and for team building.  At that meeting, it was very clear the delegation wanted to proceed in a discernment process.  We signed a covenant as to how we would be together.  

·      We discussed in detail what that process would look like, wrote it down, adopted the process to guide our work and we moved forward in a time of discernment.   

·      The delegation spent much time discussing in depth the qualities (character and qualifications) that we perceive a person should have to be a Bishop in the church today.  We also talked about what it means to endorse a candidate for the Episcopacy. 

·      Each delegation member wrote down the name or names of any Elder in the NMAC that they feel have the gifts and graces.  Both Jeff and Beverly were raised. 

·      We asked each where they were with their call; both responded they wished to continue in the discernment process.

·      Both answered, in writing, questions (the SCJ episcopacy committee asked of candidates last quadrennium) and sent them out to the delegation to prayerfully read and consider.

·      At the next meeting, we interviewed both Jeff and Beverly, and a vote was taken.

As a result of this process, the Delegation-endorsed candidate is Jeff.

The decision made was a collective one.  This is consistent with the Wesleyan understanding of Holy conferencing as method of discerning God's direction for the church.  As United Methodist, we believe in the collective judgement and in the ability of the Holy Spirit to work through the collective of those charged with making decisions. 

For more information, contact Donna TeBrink, Chair of the Delegation, at  .