Bishop News

Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi has been elected to serve as president of Christian Associates of Southwestern PA, effective January 1, 2020. She currently serves as vice-president of the ecumenical organization whose board includes leaders of denominations or organizations represented in 10 Southwestern PA counties.  “I am excited to welcome Bishop Moore-Koikoi as our next president! Her election comes at a pivotal time: Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania will celebrate our 50th ... read more

Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi was among dozens of key African-American laity, clergy and episcopal leaders who met in Chicago on Thursday and Friday to discern and map out the future of the Black Church in The United Methodist Church as a prelude to the 2020 General Conference. Organized by the Ebony Bishops and facilitated by the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR), the meeting brought together leaders of the different constituencies of the Black Church for a time of prayer, ... read more

The year 2019 marks the 400th anniversary of the arrival of African people in North America, and the Pittsburgh-based Stop the Violence organization will celebrate their legacy and contributions to the region during Juneteenth events marking the end of chattel slavery and the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865.  Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi will be honored along with other religious and community leaders who uplift communities in Western Pennsylvania during the 5th Annual Celebration of ... read more

Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi and representatives of the Western PA General Conference delegation, the WPAUMC A Way Forward Task Force, Cabinet members will conduct debriefing sessions in each of our ten districts following the special called session of General Conference.      The purpose is for lay and clergy members of local United Methodist churches to hear accurate information about the decisions made at the Special Called Session, as well as the process the annual conference will undertake ... read more

The final report from the Western PA Conference's Task Force on A Way Forward was released today along with a statement from Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi. The Bishop created the task force of laity and clergy to develop ways to share proposals from the denomination's Commission on A Way Forward with local church members and receive their feedback. The Commission was formed by the Council of Bishops to find a way to get past long-standing disagreements over the full inclusion of homosexuals in ... read more

Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi and the Rev. Keith McIlwain, pastor of Slippery Rock United Methodist Church launched a four -session study based on Living Faithfully: Human Sexuality and  the United Methodist Church on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at the Slippery Rock Church. Future sessions are set for 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Tuesday Sept. 18 and 25 and Oct. 2.  Living Faithfully, a four-week, small-group study that is part of the Faultlines collection of books, was created especially for United Methodist ... read more

-- By Jackie Campbell, Communications Director-- Thirteen United Methodists from around Western Pennsylvania jumped aboard their bicycles at the Boston United Methodist Church near McKeesport on Monday, Aug. 13 and headed onto the Yough Trail for the first leg of a 315-mile journey to Washington, D.C. They're raising funds to support the Deeply Rooted, Upward Reaching capital campaign to ensure that funds are available so that anyone can have a camping experience regardless of ability to pay.... read more

5/11/18 UPDATE: An error discovered in the ballot wording of Amendment #1 led to the May 10 announcement of a re-vote that will take place this year.  When results of denomination-wide voting on five constitutional amendments were announced on Monday, some Western PA Conference leaders offered their thoughts on the results. Two  amendments addressing gender equality failed to receive enough votes from annual conference members across the denomination to be ratified.    “My sister bishops and I ... read more

United Methodist bishops, meeting in Chicago this week, engaged in a prayerful process to discern a way forward for the denomination. At the conclusion of the discernment process, the Council of Bishops strongly approved the following motion and rationale: Motion: Having received and considered the extensive work of the Commission on a Way Forward, the Council of Bishops will submit a report to the Special Session of the General Conference in 2019 that includes: All three plans (The ... read more

In the wake of the school shooting in Florida, Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi and the United Methodist Council of Bishops issued statements mourning the victims of the shootings and called for prayers of repentance from the  culture of death and cycle of violence. Bishop Moore-Koikoi said this: Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of the 17 killed and the fourteen injured in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida.  We also pray for the young man who the ... read more