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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2010
Columbus, OH:Bishop Peter D. Weaver of the Boston Episcopal Area has been chosen to deliver the Episcopal Address at the 2012 General Conference in Tampa.
Meeting this week in Columbus, Ohio, the Council of Bishops elected Weaver to prepare and deliver the address on behalf of the entire council, which comprises 69 active bishops and 91 retired bishops from the U.S., Africa, Europe, and Asia. The bishops provide spiritual leadership for the 11.5-million member denomination.
"There is a lot to celebrate as we try to live out our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world and continue our work around the four foci," said Bishop Weaver. "It's also a time of change and challenge, and we will invite the General Conference into prayer and decision making that helps us be a more effective instrument of God's mission in our world."
Weaver, who was president of the Council from 2004-2006, said that the development of the address would include a listening process.
"Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher set a new model of collaboration in the development of the Episcopal address, which I expect to follow," said Weaver. "There will be collaboration with bishops which has traditionally happened, but also boards and agencies, local churches and annual conferences. It's out of that collaboration that in a sense we corporately try to listen for God's word to lead us forward."
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About General Conference 2012
General Conference is the top policy-making body of The United Methodist Church. The 1000-member assembly meets once every four years to consider revisions to church law, as well as adopt resolutions on current moral, social, public policy and economic issues. It also approves plans and budgets for churchwide programs for the next four years. The 2012 meeting will take place April 24-May 4 at the Tampa Convention Center.
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