Who was involved in the decision-making process?
Members of the College believed it was vital to seek opinions from laity and clergy throughout the jurisdiction before considering any options and making a decision. A questionnaire was distributed to each member of the jurisdictional conference, seeking feedback on the most important criteria in determining episcopal area boundaries. A web site was created to receive additional feedback from laity and clergy. The information was then collected and developed into a report by the Rev. Dr. Lovett Weems of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership. Information from Dr. Weems’ report served as the foundation for listening sessions conducted by active bishops in each of the jurisdiction’s 15 annual conferences in the spring of 2009. These sessions generated more ideas and responses.
