South Central Jurisdiction

The Virginia Conference’s Bishop Sharma D. Lewis (upper right corner) leads the devotional during the April 30 session of the United Methodist Council of Bishops spring meeting. The bishops maintained that no elections of bishops or agency board members would be held this year, despite some delegates urging otherwise. Screengrab courtesy of the Council of Bishops via ZOOM by UM News.

Bishops: No episcopal elections until 2022

United Methodist bishops declined General Conference delegates’ calls for episcopal elections this year but opened the door to a vote on new leaders in 2022.

General Church

Southern Methodist University’s Dallas Hall was its first building and remains a campus centerpiece. A judge recently ruled for SMU and against the South Central Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church in a lawsuit over whether ultimate control of the Dallas school belongs to its board of trustees or the conference. The conference has filed an appeal. Photo by Sam Hodges, UM News.

Judge rules for SMU over jurisdiction

The South Central Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church is appealing a lower court loss in suit over who controls the Dallas school.

General Church

Trustees of Southern Methodist University in Dallas voted to remove United Methodist Bishop Scott Jones from their board after he joined the South Central Jurisdictional Conference’s lawsuit against the school. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons.

Bishop Jones removed from SMU board

The Texas Conference leader was ousted by fellow trustees after he joined the South Central Jurisdictional Conference’s lawsuit against the school.

Mission and Ministry

Ruth Moreno shows her brother, Lino, how to keep his hands warm as the sun rises behind them on the Santa Fe Bridge over the Rio Grande in Juárez, Mexico. They make the two-hour cross-border journey each school day to attend the United Methodist Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, Texas. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Lydia Patterson Institute is a dream maker for young students

The United Methodist college-preparatory school is supported by the South Central Jurisdiction and many local churches and individuals provide scholarships.

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