UNITED METHODISTS CELEBRATE CONSOLIDATION

United Methodists in Missouri are working toward consolidation and celebrating their efforts during a "Journey of Installation" for new district superintendents and staff.

With the consolidation of the East and West conferences, Missouri's United Methodist congregations are able to expand their programs and meet the needs of people around the world, said Janet Culvert, area coordinator of communications for the Methodist church.

Money that would have been paid to two separate staff and operations now "goes back into mission projects or serves local churches," she said.

The Missouri East and Missouri West conferences had been comprised of 15 districts across the state; now there are 12. The two conferences separately voted during their 1999 general meetings to work on a consolidation plan. The changes took effect July 1.

The Southeast district of Methodist churches will hold its celebration at 7 p.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church in Sikeston, Mo. The Rev. J. Brent Mustoe, district superintendent, will be the speaker.

The new superintendents and Bishop Ann B. Scherer have been traveling the state for the installation services. Scherer is staying in Missouri for a third four-year term, a rarity among bishops. District superintendents are selected to serve either six or eight years.

Many of the superintendents who are returning to an area are reaffirming their vows, Culvert said.

The district superintendents and bishop were elected to serve at one of five simultaneous jurisdictional conferences held last week across the country. Missouri is part of the south central jurisdiction, which had four bishops retire within its eight state territory.

The Rev. Rhymes H. Moncure Jr. of Columbia, Mo., was one of eight pastors from the jurisdiction nominated to fill a slot as bishop. He was the only Missouri pastor nominated for the post. Moncure will serve in the Nebraska region as bishop.

Bishops are elected for life and are considered bishops of the entire church. There are 50 active bishops in the United Methodist Church within the United States. Any clergy member of an annual conference is eligible to be elected. At least 60 percent of the delegates attending a jurisdictional conference must approve the selection of a bishop.

Moncure was the first bishop elected for the new millennium, and was elected on the first ballot taken, Culvert said. Normally more than one vote is taken for approval.

The announcement was hardly spoken before the 320 delegates "rose in one body and applauded and shouted," she said. "It was electric in that room when the vote was read."