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

Asterisk (*) indicates a current member

Bold italic indicates someone recommended by the Nominations Committee

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


Jeremy Barbee – West Plains

Ryan Barnett – Mid-Texas

Tyler Best – Great Lakes

John Beyers – North Georgia

Artie Cadar – Trinity

Todd Chancey – Mid-South

Kim Collins – North Carolina

Luciano da Silva – Panama

Gabriella Kopas – Central Europe

Jessica LaGrone – Trinity*

Henriette Okele – Democratic Republic of Congo*

Scott Pattison – Great Lakes

Daniel Topalski – Bulgaria

Jimmy Towson – South Georgia


Laity


Eugene Floore – Alabama Emerald Coast*

Juliet Jere – Malawi

Mack Parker – North Carolina

Sheela Shankar – India

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


Zawdie “Doc” Abiade – Great Lakes*

Steven Bell – Trinity*

Ebenezer Belleh – Grain Coast

Elliot Chikwenjere – Zimbabwe

Daniel Fulton – Mid-South

Paul Idi – Northeast Nigeria

Richard Jones – West Plains*

John Kalambo – Zambia

Stanislav Prokhorov – Central Russia

Jay Therrell – Florida

Robert Zilhaver – Allegheny West



Laity


James Bannister – South Carolina

Ron Enns – West Plains*

Marcel Kakudji Faliala – Democratic Republic of Congo

Sheryl Gadia – Mega Manila

Beatrice Iliya – Northern Nigeria

Sherlin James – India

Vicky Johnson – Trinity*

Claudette Kon Kand – Democratic Republic of Congo

Curtis Kurhajec – Mid-Texas

Martina Lukic – Central Europe

Esther Mwaniki – Kenya

Gideon Salatan – Covenant Philippines*

David Smalley – Alabama Emerald Coast


CONFERENCES


Elect 6 clergy and 6 laity (*current member)

No additional members to be added

Clergy


Clark Atkins, Jr.* – Trinity

John Howard – North Carolina

Jonathan Lee – Upper Midwest (chair)

Michael Morrissey, Jr. – Mid-South

Washington Emmanuel Mtende – Malawi

Wilton Odongo – Kenya

Alban Amour Gonda Yagozo* – Central African Republic


Laity


James Massaquoi – Grain Coast

Kirsten Mains – Great Lakes

Brayan George Mwakalinga - Tanzania

Pauline Ntombura – Afrika Makarishi

Lori Smith* – Mississippi-West Tennessee

Frankie Watson – Trinity

Mickey Wheeler* – Mid-Texas



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


Kenneth Collins – Mid-South

David De Silva – Florida

Michael Dillon – Great Lakes

Cali Eck – Heartland

Drew Holland – Mississippi-West Tennessee

Jack Jackson – Florida

Martin Longanga – Democratic Republic of Congo

John Wayne McMann – Trinity

Suzanne Nicholson – Mid-South*

Dennis Obadiah – Southern Nigeria

Virgilio Olonan – Covenant Philippines

Shea Reyenga – Mid-Texas

Travis Stevick – Upper Midwest

Vladimir Zhelezov – Bulgaria


Laity


Pau Ayi-Bonte – Eastern Russia-Central Asia

Gregg Benefiel – Mid-South

Jill Davis – Great Lakes

Nikki Dillard – West Plains

Kathleen Engleman – Great Lakes

Elena Melnikova – Central Russia

Krista Pettit – Northeast

Kathy Rohrs – Allegheny West (chair)*

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


Dissashi Omba Djamba – Democratic Republic of Congo

Rick LaDue – Northeast

Samson Muzengeza – Zimbabwe

Debo Onabanjo – Allegheny West

Sakiusa Vakadewatabua, Jr. – Heartland*

Vatroslav Zupancic – Central Europe*


Laity


Heather Carter-Young – North Carolina

Bridget Douglas – Great Lakes

Linda Ishee – Mississippi-West Tennessee

Kankolongo Johnson – Democratic Republic of Congo

Colleen Leath – Great Lakes

Debbie Smalley – Alabama Emerald Coast*

Elena Sokolova – Northwest Russia-Belarus

Sid Strebek – West Plains


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)

Richard Monga Kamuyombo – Democratic Republic of Congo

Vivian Kinnear – Trinity*

Michael Lindsay – Mississippi-West Tennessee

Dan Lyons – North Carolina

James Noble – Mid-Texas*

Matthew Seel – Mid-South*

Elizabeth Winger – Heartland


Laity


Sherry Austin – Great Lakes*

Olandor Boyce – Grain Coast*

Lindsey Clark – North Carolina

Renea Clevenger – Great Lakes

Richard Croll – Heartland*

Dave Elyea – Florida

Tom Finley – Great Lakes

Sam Gregory – West Plains*

Gisele Kabezya Nyota – Democratic Republic of Congo

Joy Perry – Allegheny West*

Luvo Thwethwa – South Africa*

Kevin Vaughn – Florida


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


Beth Ann Cook – Great Lakes*

Mbingeleli Diko – South Africa*

Mike Grant – Allegheny West*

Joy Griffin – North Georgia*

Ben Huebner – Mid-Texas

Nicolas Munongo Sukisa – Democratic Republic of Congo*

Charles Puno – Mega Manila*


Laity


Elizabeth Fink – Trinity

Dana Gilliam – North Alabama

Ephraim Ibrahim Jen – Southern Nigeria

Inna Kim – Central Russia

Bridget Kirk – Heartland (chair)*

Muriel Nelson – Grain Coast

Walter Oduke – Kenya

Giftson Rajan – India

Stacy Taylor – Northeast*

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*
Sarah Wanck – Great Lakes*

Kira Yufereva - Central Russia


Laity


Don Bourland - Mississippi West Tennessee*

Alan Campbell – Upper Midwest

Patrick Chibhagidhi - Zimbabwe

Brad Folsom - South Georgia

Tyson Heins – Heartland*

Sergei Kim – Central Russia

Sarah Maher - Allegheny West*

Nhoris Mbayo Ngoyi – Democratic Republic of Congo

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


Failuma Afeaki – Western States

Wes Griffin – North Georgia

Joshua Johnson – Heartland

Paul Lawler – Mississippi-West Tennessee*

Patrick Magaqa – South Africa

Kabah Mwenze – Democratic Republic of Congo

Phil Rogers – Upper Midwest

Laura Saffell – Allegheny West

Sherri Tabaka-Morrissey – Mid-South

Tim Turner – Trinity

Martin Kasongo Wakubatwa – Democratic Republic of Congo

Greg West – Virginia


Laity


Diana Briselli – Northeast (chair)

Bill Brown – Heartland

Daniel Buck – Great Lakes

David Doty – Great Lakes

Jim Flury – Florida

Jeff Jernigan – North Georgia

Robby Kalitongi – Zambia

Elena Lyovushkina – Southern Russia

Mariela Mihaylova-Siderova – Bulgaria*

Angelo Perez – Covenant Philippines


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


Dalma Cribb – North Carolina

Brad Dush – Heartland

Daniel Gildner – Allegheny West*

Kora Mujinga – Democratic Republic of Congo

Sergei Nikolaev – Central Russia

Burt Palmer – Trinity

Lauren Porter – Mississippi-West Tennessee

Thadius Sales – Northeast

Travis Stevick – Upper Midwest

Margarita Todorova – Bulgaria

Leslie Tomlinson – Mid-Texas (chair)*

Jaimie Willis – Heartland

Christopher Wise – Great Lakes

Laity


Diana Cabauatan – Covenant Philippines*

Kelvin Kofi – Eastern Russia-Central Asia

Jane Finley – North Georgia*

Audra Gaines – Mississippi-West Tennessee

Ellen Harbin – Great Lakes

Leesa Judd – South Carolina

Daniella Ngoy Masangu – Democratic Republic of Congo

Nicodeme Katokolo Ndomba – Democratic Republic of Congo

Catherine Sullivan – Trinity