May 20, 2022
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The Judicial Council has just announced in Decision 1445 that jurisdictions can elect and assign bishops in 2022.
I am writing to share with you the impact this decision has on me. ¶408.1 requires a bishop who is 68 or older on July 1 in the year a Jurisdictional Conference is held to retire at that Jurisdictional Conference. Since I am 68, that means I will be retiring at the upcoming Jurisdictional Conference.
We do not yet know whether the South Central Jurisdictional Conference will be held this fall as currently scheduled, or sometime this summer. This means I cannot yet state when I will enter the retired status and your new episcopal leader will begin. Hopefully, that information will be forthcoming in the next couple of weeks.
In the meantime, our mission continues to create vital congregations that make disciples of Jesus Christ, who make disciples equipped and sent to transform lives, communities and the world.
I am looking forward to joining you in Hot Springs for Annual Conference June 1-4.
God bless you!
Grace and Peace,
Gary E. Mueller
Bishop