A CALL FOR A FAIR, EQUITABLE AND TRANSPARENT CHURCH TRIAL
May 17, 2023
Whereas, MARCHA (Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic/Latinx American) represents a critical voice for the Hispanic/Latinx community within The United Methodist Church (UMC) and the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico. For the last 50 years, MARCHA has advocated for equity, peace, and justice, inside and outside the Church, and the full inclusion of our diversity at all denomination levels.
Whereas, the Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops and Committee on Episcopacy imposed an unprecedented, questionable, and prolonged suspension on Bishop Minerva Carcaño, preventing her from fulfilling her episcopal responsibilities while the complaint process unfolds.
Whereas, the suspension of Bishop Carcaño has caused chaos and more division in our already broken denomination and created tension between laity and clergy, not only at the California-Nevada Annual Conference but across the Western Jurisdiction and the global Church.
Whereas, MARCHA has requested the Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops and Committee on Episcopacy, for over a year, to ensure that all proceedings regarding the case of Bishop Carcaño follow a fair, equitable, and transparent process for all parties involved.
Whereas, MARCHA has called the Council of Bishops on two occasions to take over the entire complaint process against Bishop Carcaño according to paragraph 413 of the Book of Disciple in line with the Judicial Council ruling in Decision 1484 to ensure a fair, equitable, and transparent process. However, the Council of Bishops has remained silent and inactive on this matter.
Whereas, the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR), the General Commission on the Role and Status of Women (GCRSW), the Western Jurisdiction Inter-Ethnic Caucus, the Chinese Caucus, and other advocacy groups have joined MARCHA’s efforts in raising our serious concerns about this unprecedented case and now join us in raising our voices for a fair, equitable and transparent process in the case against Bishop Minerva Carcaño.
Whereas, the prolonged suspension of Bishop Minerva Carcaño and the length of the process has created distrust in the complaint process system of our Church, an increase of misinformation regarding the case, and a hostile environment among us.
And whereas, the Western Jurisdiction announced on May 4th, 2023, that the case against Bishop Minerva Carcaño is going to a church trial.
THEREFORE, to guarantee a fair, equitable, and transparent church trial for all parties and to avoid any resemblance of a conflict of interest, MARCHA respectfully requests that:
- The Council of Bishops to take over the church trial process against Bishop Minerva Carcaño;
- The church trial for Bishop Carcaño be open to the public and be held in any of the following jurisdictions: North Central, North Eastern, South Central, or South Eastern;
- The General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) and the General Commission on the Role and Status of Women (GCRSW) monitor the church trial process;
- And that our Church continues to be engaged in a time of prayer for all parties involved.