2026 General Conference

Episcopal Nominations

Nominations Committee Announces 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 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