Greetings in Christ Jesus Beloved Friends.

I want to thank you one more time for your attention to and or participation in the recent Special Session of the Annual Conference. We were well prepared, engaged in robust honest conversations about things that matter and accomplished much. Here again is a link to a summary report.

Last week, November 6-12 I attended semi-annual meeting of the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church. We were able for the second time to have an embodied meeting. There were adequate accommodations for those that needed to participate remotely. During our meeting we tended to number of things:

• We worshiped daily hearing the word proclaimed and receiving the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
• We spent time caring for the wounded among us and starting the rebuilding of community following judicial disruption.
• We spent time on our role in the continuing United Methodist Church.
• We elected new officers who will assume their responsibilities in the Spring and Summer of 2024 Read here.
• We addressed the terror, war and violence in the Middle East especially since the October 7. Read COB statement here.

I continue to invite you to join me in making every one of our 600 or so United Methodist Churches in West Ohio, Jesus centered, mission stations that choose to serve all God’s children and build beloved community as a sign of God’s reign and the grace we have known in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is my singular priority. I trust it is yours.

Yours in Christ Jesus,

Bishop Gregory V. Palmer