Click here to view Bishop Elaine's 2013 Advent letter to the Mountain Sky Area.

People of the Mountain Sky Area of The United Methodist Church,

The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church, representing the church in North America, Europe, Africa and the Philippines, adopted a statement yesterday regarding Bishop Talbert's recent action. The Council engaged in deep, frank and respectful conversation and prayer in coming to this statement, but the statement does not represent a consensus of all bishops.

I know that the faithful discernment of many in the Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone Annual Conferences leads to a very different position from that of the Council, and that many will experience this statement as a failure of the bishops to recognize the variety and breadth of the way God's love expresses itself in human relationships.

Please pray with me for Bishops Wallace Padgett and Bishop Talbert, for Bobby Prince and Joe Openshaw, two United Methodists whose marriage Bishop Talbert celebrated, and for all people and the whole church as we continue to grow in our love and knowledge of God in Jesus Christ.

With faith in Christ,

Elaine J.W. Stanovsky

Click here to read the statement from the Council of Bishops

The Council of Bishops is meeting at Lake Junaluska this week. In the midst of deep conversation among the bishops about the division within the church, we received this letter. I thought you would want to see it.

Elaine

Click here to read the letter