Open Letter to the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church

Dear Bishops, we greet you in the name of Christ and on behalf of MARCHA (Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic/Latinx Americans). We write to you with a troubled heart and concern about the long and over-extended suspension of Bishop Minerva Carcaño and its effects on the Hispanic/Latinx ministry and the witness of our entire Church.

MARCHA continues to be deeply grieved that one of the most influential voices in our community and the entire United Methodist connection is and continues to be silenced. Bishop Carcaño’s courageous advocacy on behalf of immigrants and her deep commitment to fighting injustices in our society has won the admiration and respect of many people in our Church, leaders in other denominations, and civic groups. MARCHA is especially concerned that in the last meeting of the Council of Bishops, the Immigration Task Force, which was effectively led by Bishop Carcaño in the past, did not offer a report. At this moment, when the refugee and immigration crisis continues to increase due to war and other conflicts, her leadership is sorely missed.

We question the fact that the Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops and Committee on Episcopacy placed Bishop Carcaño in suspension, even before the process of investigation began to ascertain the veracity of the allegations. We know that many bishops are subject to complaints. Yet, no other Jurisdictional College in the history of the United Methodist Church has placed a bishop in suspension before the proper committee had investigated the complaint.  This suspension has now been extended, without regard to the adverse effects. The rumors that are circulating in our Church regarding this matter create feelings of resentment and distrust in the judicial processes of our Church among the Hispanic/Latinx United Methodists and others. At this moment in our Church, trust is crucial.

MARCHA believes it is necessary to question the United Methodist Church, a predominantly white institution, when it has different standards for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) leaders, as opposed to white leaders, particularly in complaint processes. The uncertainty of the Council of Bishops’ stated commitment to dismantling racism is disheartening when it is not experienced in our Hispanic/Latinx community. The Western Jurisdiction College’s decision to depart from precedent with regard to the practice of due process raises a critical question in our minds: Why is a Hispanic/Latina woman Bishop being treated differently?

Therefore, given the length of the suspension imposed, the possible lack of impartiality, the unprecedented beginning of the complaint process, and the proliferation of rumors circulation in the Western Jurisdiction, MARCHA respectfully requests that the Council of Bishops will remove the complaints against Bishop Carcaño from the College and assume responsibility for processing them.

“The Council of Bishops may, at any time in the process, after a complaint is filed, including after a just resolution, remove the complaint from the College of Bishops to the Council of Bishops with a two-thirds vote by the Council.” (Par. 413.d.iv, 2016 Book of Discipline).

The Council of Bishops has the power to intervene and take a restorative role in addressing the harm done to the entire connection. We pray the Council of Bishops will witness its commitment to providing an equitable and fair process.

MARCHA calls our Church to continue surrounding in prayer all parties involved. MARCHA intends to continue closely monitoring the progress of this process as we walk alongside justice.

Rev. Lyssette Perez, President

Rev. Nora Colmenares, Vice President

Rev. Héctor A. Burgos, Communications
Rev. Raquel Feagins, Secretary
Rev. Joel Hortiales, Strategy
Pastor Imelda Román de Gómez, Administration
Dr. Ilia Vázquez-Gascot, Education

Raúl Alegría – Treasurer

Andrés de Arco – Young Adult

 

Sign the Letter and Petition to the Council of Bishops

Also signed by,

Doug Ruffle, Greater New Jersey Annual Conference

Jeannette Zajac Greater NJ

Rev Dr Enna Antunez Iowa Annual Conference

Gricelda G Careaga. Río Texas Conference

Sandra Sypherd Great Plains Conference

Rev. Lyssette Perez, MARCHA, GNJ Annual Conference

Raul Alegría – Tennessee- Western Kentucky

Michael G Rivas, Florida conference

Rev. Paula Cripps-Vallejo, Northern Illinois Conference

Rev. José Esteban Rivera-Bocanegra Greater NewJersey Annual Conference

Pastor Luis Daniel Román-Hernández / Iglesia Metodista de Puerto Rico

Nilka Marrero Garcia Puerto Rico Conference

Diana Jani Darak-Druck New York Annual Conference

MARY SILVA- RIO TEXAS CONFERENCE

Maritza Gonzalez, Greater New Jersey

Mcwilliam Colon Greater New Jersey Annual conference

Imelda Roman Wisconsin Conference

Lori Valentine de Segovia, Virginia Annual Conference

Lilian Cotto EPAC

Rev. Liliana Padilla Rio Texas Conference

Paloma Rodriguez-Rivera, Puerto Rico Conference

Michael Bergman, Mountain Sky Conference

Rev. David K. Farley, California Pacific Conference

David Jaimes, CALPAC

Luis Daniel Roman-Hernandez / Iglesia Metodista de Puerto Rico

Rev. Dr. Sammy Arroyo

Rev. Aida Luz Beltrán-Gaetán

Rev. Alejandro Alfaro-Santiz Iowa Annual Conference

George Lockwood Pacific Northwood

James Duane Perdue, Iowa Onference

Iris Chavez Rio Texas Annual Conference

Philip Wingeier-Rayo, Baltimore-Washington

Ediberto López-Rodríguez NYAC

Ramon Bello.Great Plains.

Fernando J Vazquez

Edith Zewadski-Bricker – Florida Conference

Sonya Luna, Michigan Conference

Juan Quintanilla NGC

Alma L Matos, GNJ

Rev. Dr Ivelisse Quiñones SG

Eileen Rivera Greater New Jersey Conference

Valerie L Mendoza

Alma Pérez- TWK

Jose Luis Palos Rio Texas Conference

Sabrina Martinez

Rev. Dr. Jose A Carrión Aquino. FLUMC

Manuel chavez jr Rio Grande

Rev. Carmen M. Gaud Desert Southwest

Rev. Dr. Diana L. Hynson, Baltimore–Washington Annual Conference

Eliezer Valentín-Castañón, Baltimore Washington Conference

Normary Rodriguez, GNJUMC

Juan Carlos Ruiz / Greater New Jersey

Rev. Cricket Denton GNJ

Rev dr Miguel Balderas. Baltimore Washington conference

Dr. C. Anthony Hunt, Baltimore-Washington Conference

Carole Davenport, Northern Illinois Conference

Eunice Garcia Rio Texas Conference

Rafael Moreno Rivas, Iglesia Metodista de Puerto Rico

Julia Puac-Romero, North Texas

Ramon Ramirez-Rio Texas Conference

Julia Puac-Romero, North Texas

Rev. Matthew Mariani, Northern Illinois Annual Conference

Rev. Sara Giron-Ortiz, New York Annual

Rev. Dr. Juan. G. Feliciano-Valera, Puerto Rico

Nilda Ferrari/ VA AC

Rev. Charles Kyle

Rev. Isidro Piña Rio Texas Conference

Héctor Soto Vélez Puerto Rico

Rev. Fabiola Grandon-Mayer Northern Illinois Conference

Miriam Peralta, Michigan

Rev. Myriam Cortes- Tennessee Western Kentucky

Rev. Dr. Leo Yates Baltimore-Washington Conference

Miros Villarreal. Rio Texas Conference

Rev. Teresa Pena Rio Texas Conference

Rvdo. Julio Vargas, PR Annual Conference and UMC endorsed to the Army Chaplaincy

Efrain Cotto, Jr., Eastern Penn. Conference

Rev. Dr. Richard Romero, Greater New Jersey

Rvda.Diaconisa Maria Teresa Santiago IMPR

Migdiel E. Perez, Tennessee/ Western Kentucky

Ian Straker New York Annual Conference

Josefina Pérez / CalPac Conference

Kim Cape Cal-Nevada

Bilha Ramírez Alegría/TN/Western KY

Joan Clark, Oregon-Idaho annual conference

J. Ann Craig, New York

Dr. Neva Fuentes, Rio Texas Conference

Rev. Thelma Herrera Flores-Rio Texas

Rev. Yeika A. Huertas Román IM de Puerto Rico sirviendo en Greater New Jersey Conference

Rev Sonia E Brum, SC

Daisy Tavarez NYAC

Rev. Isabel Gomez ret. Rio Texas conference

Susan L ODell, PhD Oregon-Idaho Conference

Ann Needham Bower, Oklahoma

Cesar García Rodríguez, Michigan

Rev. Karina Feliz, NYAC

Leta Evelyn Gullatt. Rio Texas

Eric A. Hernandez Lopez, Puerto Rico

Luis F Reyes,  Northern Illinois

Ellen Kirby, Western North Carolina Conference

Karen Eaker  North Texas Conference

Eddie Gouge, Baltimore-Washington Conference

Shirley Durr, Minnesota Annual Conference

Rev. Dr. Felicisimo Cao California-Nevada Conference

Rev. Sherrie Lowly, Northern Illinois

Kylie Nelson, Oregon-Idaho Conference

Hannah Phillips Mollenkamp, North Texas Conference

Joyce Sohl Arkansas

Rev. Lane Cotton Winn, Louisiana

Rev. Pam Cahoon, Fl Conference

Rev. Brian Lee Daugherty- West Virginia Annual Conference

Obed J. Pérez- Greater New Jersey

Stephen Bryant. Rio Texas Conference

Bishop Emeritus Rev. Dr. Ramon Hernandez

Rev Dr. Ramón Hernandez-Lopez, Bishop Emeritus. Iglesia Metodista de PR

Rev. Scott Marsh,  Michigan Annual Conference

Esmeralda Mendoza south rio texas

Sam Mendoza, south rio texas

Pastor Daniel Levine NYAC

Eradio Valverde, Rio Texas

Rev. Dr. David T. Grout, Kentucky Annual Conf

Rev. Francisco Arroyo Northern Illinois Annual Conference

Rev. Ivelisse Garay Bishop-GNJUMC

Rev Jorge Rodriguez Vasquez President MARCHA WEST

Mark R. Sills, WNCC

Felix Tshibang

Betty J. Letzig, Western North Carolina

Kim A DonnellySummers Desert Southwest

Rev. Martha E. Swords-Horrell. Upper New York Conference

Peter K Lau, California-Nevada Conference

Diana Carcaño- Rio Texas Conference

Arabella Chavez, Rio Texas

Western North Carolina

Andrea Paret, Great Plains Conference

Rev. John D. Current, California- Nevada Annual Conference

1. Betsy Careaga, Río Texas conference

Bryan Wilson, Northern Illinois Annual Conference

Eunice Vega-Perez GNJ

Rev. Dr. Drew A. Dyson, Greater NJ

Scott Gallagher WPA

Rev. Tom Lank, Greater New Jersey

Rev. Virginia Samuel Cetuk

Rev. Rosario L. Quinones, GNJ

Pastora Elizabeth  González GNJ

María Milagros Rivera-  BW Conference

Rev. Rolando Santiago- Fuentes – GNJAC

Juarez Gonçalves New England Conference

Dori Fotsch, Cal Pac

Rev Manuel Sardinas, GNJ

Lourdes L. Matos,  Greater NJ Annual Conference

Rosa Yáñez-Islas

Allie Lakey, Desert Southwest

Gredda Marrero, Florida Conference

1. Theresa McConnell, Louisiana

Rev. Joseph McCarthy, GNJAC

Rachel McConnell-Switzer, Louisiana Annual Conference

Rev. Linda Butler, Iowa Annual Conference

Deen Thompson  TNWKY Conference

Deaconess Allison Francesco, Susquehanna Annual Conference

Rev. Dr. Bradford Motta. Greater New Jersey.

Sehee Han, California Pacific Conference

Laurie Kaufman de la Garza.  Michigan Conference

Rev. Shawn Lelion Greater NJ

Edward G Martin, Greater New Jersey

Cyndi Stouffer – Greater NJ

Charles T. McNeil, Greater NJ

Rev. George Morris, Greater New Jersey, Retired

Rev. Heather Valosin, GNJ

Paul Smith, New York Annual Conference

Rev. Victoria Wood Parrish – New England Annual Conference

Rev Ed Carll.  GNJ

Rev. Dr. Jeffrey D. Sterling, Western PA Conference

Rev. Perrin Crouch, Missouri Annual Conference

Rev. Kate Mackereth Fulton, Baltimore-Washington Conference

Patricia Bellingrath Holston Conference

Doug Cunningham, New York Annual Conference

Theresa McConnell

Nancy Reding CA/NV Conference

Diane Dyson greater NJ Conference

Rev. M Jade Kaiser (Barclay) – Northern Illinois Conference

Javier F Careaga-Rio Texas Conference

Joseph Tognetti Rio Texas

Rev. Dawn Maffetone, Greater New jersey Annual Conference

Rev. Nydia Irizarry- Jara / Rio Texas Conference

Rev Pat Watkins Virginia AC

Rev. Christina C. Zito     Greater New Jersey AC

Rev. Gary Frieze, Greater NJ

Debra A. De Vos, Greater New Jersey

Rev. Marissa van der Valk Greater New Jersey Annual Conference

Sharon Gallagher Wpa

Rev Diane Pacione GNJ

Rev. Jennifer Lovallo, GNJ

Rev Amanda Hemenetz, Greater New Jersey

Rev. Jessica Brendler Naulty, GNJ

Jim Bielefeldt  Greater NJ Conference

Isaac Simmons: Illinois Great Rivers Conference