As we went into the 2000 General conference the most important task that was set before us was the election of Bishops. My question is how many Presiding Elders ranned for this office, how many Bishops on the bench have been Presiding Elders and if experience and leadership is a criteria for the office why aren't we electing Presiding Elders?

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Answers

Please note the correcion in my email address

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

According to the data I have gathered so far, of the 42 candidates that were on the GenCon ballot, 3 were known by me to be presiding elders. I understand Revs. Josias and Messiah also have positions of leadership, but I am not certain of their titles.

Of the bishops currently on the bench, Bishop Grady was elected as a Presiding Elder. 16 of the active bishops were pastors at the time of election. Both Bishop Byrd and Brookins were also pastors, although Bishop Byrd had served as a presiding elder briefly. 3 of the active bishops were elected from a general officer position (Cummings, Belin, Chappelle). I am not certain of Bishop Talbot's position at time of election.

The pastors elected to the bench tend to come from the larger churches in the connection. There they were leaders of diverse and active ministries. This may be the basis of leadership qualification that GenCon has approved over the century.

For more information on the previous candidates, see http://www.ghg.net/candidate s.html. For more background on some of the bishops, see http://www.ghg.net/bishops.html .

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Like all elections these days leadership in many cases takes a back seat to finances. Candidates must campaign for the bench which requires subsatncial resourecs. Presiding elders do not have the campaign machine or the access institutional resources in many cases as candidates who come from large pastorates. While many presiding elders are imensly qualified for the bench they do not have the resources to campaign in the way that a pastor of a large church does. Many pastors have proven their leadership mettle by leading large churches, and are qualified for the bench, but the also have resources that even with expierence, most presiding elders can not match.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

As we are looking toward the next GenCo, we have a wonderful, talented, annointed Presiding Elder right now who is running. Presiding Elder Guidry in the fifth district. I whole heartely recommend her for Bishop.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

The 8th Episcopal District had as a candidate for the Episcopacy Presiding Elder George W. Tyler, a fourth generation AME and a strong and powerful leader. Let's rally behind him in 2004 to see him elevated within our Zion.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000

Reference corrections:

http://www.ghg.net/jlpayne/candidates.html

http://www.ghg.net/jlpayne/bishops.html I forgot to include the subdirectory. :-)

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000