Councils & Commissions Nominations

2026 General Conference

Nominations Committee Announces

Councils & Commissions Slate

The General Conference Nominations Committee has announced its recommended slate of members for the seven commissions and two councils of the general church. The slate is drawn from over 600 nominees submitted by the annual conference delegations. Note that the Global Episcopacy Committee nominees were chosen by the Connectional Council, as prescribed by the Book of Doctrines and Discipline.


While the slate is the list of recommended members, delegations may submit additional nominees, and the General Conference plenary session will decide the final makeup through an election process. Besides those elected at the General Conference, the Connectional Council may appoint additional members for most of the commissions to fill in needed skills, experience, or diversity.


The Connectional Council acted to increase the input given the nominations process by adding an eight-person non-voting advisory team to the Nominations Committee. The advisory team included three bishops, three conference superintendents, and two general church staff. Their input was invaluable in fostering a more balanced slate with greater confidence in the giftedness

and effectiveness of those nominated. Section VIII of the Plan of Organization outlines the criteria used by the Nominations Committee in its work. The Nominations Committee took care to consider geographical, racial/ethnic, gender, and age diversity in the makeup of the commissions and councils, while also prioritizing members’ gifts and experience. The slate draws members from 38 different annual conferences.


The regional breakdown of nominees is:

  • Africa – 30 percent
  • East Asia/Philippines – 8 percent
  • Europe/Eurasia – 9 percent
  • Latin America – 1 percent
  • United States – 51 percent


In addition, 41 percent of the slate nominees are women. In addition to seeking diversity of gifted and experienced members, the Nominations Committee was cognizant of trying to maintain some continuity with current commission membership to allow for institutional memory and maintaining momentum. At the same time, new voices were added to bring new perspectives and ideas.


While the Nominations Committee did the best it could to provide a balanced slate, seven annual conferences did not submit any nominees. This was mainly attributed to the fact that most of these conferences formed and joined the GMC late in the process. Even some of the conferences that did submit nominees did not submit very many, limiting the choices available to the Nominations Committee. It is hoped that having more established annual conferences and a longer runway for submitting nominees will facilitate a more effective process in 2032. Finally, the Book of Doctrines and Discipline tasked the Nominations Committee with designating the proposed chair for six of the commissions. If those designated as chairs are elected by the General Conference, they will serve as commission chairs.


With release of the slate, annual conference delegations now have until June 1 to re-submit the names of any nominees not on the slate that the delegations believe should be considered for election. These additional nominees will be listed along with the slated nominees

on the commission ballots. General Conference delegates will make the final decision on commission and council membership through the election process in Johannesburg.


Nominations Committee Members

  • Mbingeleli Diko – South Africa
  • Holly Joy – Heartland (committee chair)
  • Jessica LaGrone – Trinity
  • Jonathan Lee – Upper Midwest
  • Tami Nies – Allegheny West
  • Henriette Okele – Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Dennis Rader – Northeast
  • Debbie Smalley – Alabama Emerald Coast
  • Samson Muzengeza – Zimbabwe (non-voting)
  • Sheela Shankar – India (non-voting)
  • Thomas Lambrecht – GMC Staff (non-voting)


Advisory Team

  • Mike Schafer – GMC Staff
  • Simon Mafunda – GMC Staff
  • Bishop Jeff Greenway
  • Bishop Leah Gregory
  • Bishop Kimba Evariste
  • Gabi Kopas – Central Europe
  • Wilton Odongo – Kenya
  • Jordan McFall – Heartland


Nominations Committee Slate for

General Church Commissions, Councils, and Committees

CONNECTIONAL COUNCIL


Elect 4 clergy and 4 lay (*current member), officers chosen by the Council

Additional 4 members will be added by the Connectional Council for expertise and balance

Clergy


Gabriella Kopas – Central Europe

Henriette Okele – Democratic Republic of Congo*

Luciano da Silva – Panama

Jessica LaGrone – Trinity*

Laity


Eugene Floore – Alabama Emerald Coast*

Sheela Shankar – India

Juliet Jere – Malawi

Tammy Stott – North Carolina

COUNCIL ON APPEALS


Elect 4 clergy and 3 laity from the total list, with an equal number of alternates (*current member)

Officers chosen by the Council

Clergy


Robert Zilhaver – Allegheny West

Stanislav Prokhorov – Central Russia

Ebenezer Belleh – Grain Coast

Daniel Fulton – Mid-South

Paul Idi – Northeast Nigeria

Steven Bell – Trinity*

Richard Jones – West Plains*

John Kalambo – Zambia

Elliot Chikwenjere – Zimbabwe

Laity


David Smalley – Alabama Emerald Coast

Martina Lukic – Central Europe

Gideon Salatan – Covenant Philippines*

Claudette Kon Kand – Democratic Republic of Congo

Sherlin James – India

Esther Mwaniki – Kenya

Sheryl Gadia – Mega Manila

Curtis Kurhajec – Mid-Texas

Beatrice Iliya – Northern Nigeria

James Bannister – South Carolina

Vicky Johnson – Trinity*

Ron Enns – West Plains*

CONFERENCES


Elect 6 clergy and 6 laity (*current member)

No additional members to be added

Clergy


Alban Amour Gonda Yagozo* – Central African Republic

Wilton Odongo – Kenya

Washington Emmanuel Mtende – Malawi

Michael Morrissey, Jr. – Mid-South

Clark Atkins, Jr.* – Trinity

Jonathan Lee – Upper Midwest (chair)

Laity


Pauline Ntombura – Afrika Makarishi

James  Massaquoi – Grain Coast

Kathryn Chittenden* – Heartland

Mickey Wheeler* – Mid-Texas

Lori Smith* – Mississippi-West Tennessee

Brayan George Mwakalinga - Tanzania

DISCIPLESHIP, DOCTRINE, AND JUST MINISTRY


Elect 10, at least half laity (*current members)

Additional 5 members can be added by the Connectional Council for expertise and balance

Clergy


Virgilio Olonan – Covenant Philippines

Martin Longanga – Democratic Republic of Congo

Suzanne Nicholson – Mid-South*

Shea Reyenga – Mid-Texas

Dennis Obadiah – Southern Nigeria

Laity


Kathy Rohrs – Allegheny West (chair)*

Elena Melnikova – Central Russia

Pau Ayi-Bonte – Eastern Russia-Central Asia

Krista Pettit – Northeast

Nolizwi Stofela – South Africa

ECUMENICAL RELATIONS


Elect 4 clergy and 4 laity, a bishop chairs the commission (*current members)

No additional members to be added

Clergy


Vatroslav Zupancic – Central Europe*

Sakiusa Vakadewatabua, Jr. – Heartland*

Samson Muzengeza – Zimbabwe

Debo Onabanjo – Allegheny West

Laity


Debbie Smalley – Alabama Emerald Coast*

Kankolongo Johnson – Democratic Republic of Congo

Elena Sokolova – Northwest Russia-Belarus

Heather Carter-Young – North Carolina

FINANCE, ADMINISTRATION, PENSION, AND BENEFITS


Elect 10 members, at least one-half laity (*current members)

Additional 5 members can be added by the Connectional Council for expertise and balance

Clergy


Harrison Bell – Alabama Emerald Coast*(chair)

Matthew Seel – Mid-South*

James Noble – Mid-Texas*

Vivian Kinnear – Trinity*

Laity


Joy Perry – Allegheny West*

Olandor Boyce – Grain Coast*

Sherry Austin – Great Lakes*

Lindsey Clark – North Carolina

Luvo Thwethwa – South Africa*

Sam Gregory – West Plains*

GENERAL CONFERENCE COMMISSION


Elect 16 members, at least one-half laity (*current member)

Additional 8 members can be added by the Connectional Council for expertise and balance

Clergy


Mike Grant – Allegheny West*

Nicolas Munongo Sukisa – Democratic Republic of Congo*

Charles Puno – Mega Manila*

Ben Huebner – Mid-Texas

Joy Griffin – North Georgia*

Mbingeleli Diko – South Africa*

Laity


Inna Kim – Central Russia

Muriel Nelson – Grain Coast

Bridget Kirk – Heartland (chair)*

Giftson Rajan – India

Walter Oduke – Kenya

Dana Gilliam – North Alabama

Stacy Taylor – Northeast* 

Ephraim Ibrahim Jen – Southern Nigeria

Elizabeth Fink – Trinity

Mandy White – West Plains

GLOBAL EPISCOPACY COMMITTEE


Elect 6 laity and 6 clergy by a 60 percent vote, (*current members) 

Officers elected by the committee, no additional members to be added

Clergy


Jason Burnham – Trinity*
Robin Parr - North Georgia
Chris Ritter - Great Lakes*
Joanne Turmalip Valenzuela - Mega Manila*
Aaron Opa Yankee - Grain Coast*
Kira Yufereva - Central Russia

Laity


Don Bourland - Mississippi West Tennessee*

Patrick Chibhagidhi - Zimbabwe

Brad Folsom - South Georgia

Tyson Heins – Heartland*

Sarah Maher - Allegheny West*

Ievgenii Semashko – Bulgaria

KINGDOM ADVANCEMENT (EVANGELISM, CHURCH MULTIPLICATION, MISSIONAL MOBILIZATION, AND DISASTER RESPONSES)


Elect 6 laity and 5 clergy (*current members)

Additional 6 members can be added by the Connectional Council for expertise and balance

Clergy


Laura Saffell – Allegheny West

Martin Kasongo Wakubatwa – Democratic Republic of Congo

Paul Lawler – Mississippi-West Tennessee*

Patrick Magaqa – South Africa

Failuma Afeaki – Western States

Laity


Mariela Mihaylova-Siderova – Bulgaria*

Angelo Perez – Covenant Philippines

Bill Brown – Heartland

Diana Briselli – Northeast (chair)

Robby Kalitongi – Zambia

Simon Mafunda – Zimbabwe*

MINISTRY AND HIGHER EDUCATION


Elect 5 clergy and 5 laity (*current members)

Additional 5 members can be added by the Connectional Council for expertise and balance

Clergy


Daniel Gildner – Allegheny West*

Leslie Tomlinson – Mid-Texas (chair)*

Thadius Sales – Northeast

Kora Mujinga – Democratic Republic of Congo

Christopher Wise – Great Lakes

Laity


Diana Cabauatan – Covenant Philippines*

Kelvin Kofi – Eastern Russia-Central Asia

Jane Finley – North Georgia*

Leesa Judd – South Carolina

Catherine Sullivan – Trinity