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Bishop Hope Morgan Ward: Responding to the Ebola Crisis

Bishop Hope Morgan Ward describes the unique role of The United Methodist Church in responding to the Ebola crisis that started in June 2014 in West Africa.

Learn more about the crisis and what you can do visit: Gifts to UMCOR International Disaster Response Advance #982450 will enable UMCOR’s response to the Ebola crisis and other emergencies.

Hope Morgan Ward is the Resident Bishop of the North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church.

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General Conference
The Rev. Jenny Phillips (right) shows a Mobile Solar Power Station to Bishop Robin Dease outside the United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, N.C. Phillips is the director of environmental sustainability with the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Solar trailer brings power in disasters — and coffee at conference
The Mobile Solar Power Station, a solar-powered, self-sustaining trailer, launched in October 2023 as a new ministry of the North Georgia Conference.
Annual Conferences
Conference members ratified disaffiliation agreements and prayed over departing churches during the 2022 North Georgia Annual Conference that took place June 2-4. In an email sent out Dec. 28, 2022, North Georgia Conference leaders announced they were pausing for now approving anymore disaffiliations. File photo courtesy of the North Georgia Conference.

North Georgia hits pause on disaffiliations
The largest United Methodist conference in the U.S. announced it is blocking church exits as a result of “the misleading, defamatory, and false statements and materials shared with local church members.”
Bishops
In an episcopal election that saw several firsts, the Rev. Delores Williamston (left), the first Black female bishop elected to the South Central Jurisdiction; the Rev. David Wilson (right), the first Native American bishop in The United Methodist Church; and the Rev. Laura Merrill stand during their consecration service. The South Central Jurisdiction’s service of consecration was Nov. 5 at Houston First United Methodist Church. Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Conference via Facebook.

Jurisdictions see shift in bishops, more cooperation
Even as The United Methodist Church faces mounting disaffiliations, those who plan to remain United Methodist are working together more across jurisdictional lines. Jurisdictional conferences also elected more women and more people of color as bishops.

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