Bishop Holston’s statement on cancelation of special General Conference

Bishop L. Jonathan Holston, resident bishop of the South Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church, released this statement regarding the cancelation of the called special General Conference session:

Friends, among the many skills we all have refined during this year of pandemic are resilience and leaning into uncertainty. Today, we find ourselves responding to another change – the cancelation of the called May 8, 2021, special General Conference session.

Last month, the Council of Bishops called the special session to take up only short-term business during this extended quadrennium. The 2020 General Conference has been postponed twice and is now scheduled for August 29-September 6, 2022. Let us keep our delegates and church leaders in our prayers as they seek to offer themselves in leadership in the midst of all of these changes.

While it is important to be aware of developments in our denomination, I encourage you to continue to maintain your focus on ministry and mission in your congregations and communities, and on our shared mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

I also renew this challenge from a month ago:

Let us fervently seek God’s guidance so we can do what we need to do in this moment.

Let us be the leaders that our neighbors need to make a difference for the sake of Christ.

Let us commit to growing as disciples and engaging with our communities.

Let us take the next faithful step to courageously answer the call to follow where God leads.

Grace and peace,

L. Jonathan Holston
Resident Bishop