News Articles

In a letter to the clergy and laity of the Western North Carolina Conference, Bishop Carter shares thoughts on the lead up to the May 6 special called session of the Annual Conference and preliminary results from the disaffiliation votes.

Bishop Carter announces a virtual Special Session of the Western North Carolina Annual Conference to be held on Saturday, May 6, 2023.

To the people of the United Methodist Church in Western North Carolina, We are in the season now of Easter.  We have transitioned from a 40 day season of fasting (Lent) to a 50 day season of feasting (Easter).  We celebrated the resurrection on Sunday, and now we remember that Jesus was with us on earth for 40 days prior to his ascension (Acts 1).  There was then a period of ten days before the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2).  In these days Jesus appeared to them as the Risen Lord and spoke about the...

Join Bishop Carter for a Lenten study featuring a combination of live Zoom conversations and weekly reflections with discussion questions.

Bishop Carter announces a virtual Special Session of the Western North Carolina Annual Conference to be held on Saturday, November 4, 2023.

Judge grants motions to dismiss the lawsuit brought against the WNC Conference, the Conference Board of Trustees, and Bishop Ken Carter.

Rev. Laura Auten concludes her eight-year ministry as the Uwharrie District Superintendent. Rev. Beth Crissman to be appointed as new District Superintendent for the Uwharrie District. Rev. Kim Ingram joins the appointive cabinet.

Bishop Carter responds to the filed lawsuit against The Western NC Conference of The United Methodist Church.

Effective January 1, 2023, Bishop Carter will end his residency at the FL Conference and be full time with The WNC Conference.

This document is meant to provide information for the upcoming 2022 Southeastern Jurisdictional (SEJ) Conference that will take place November 2-4 at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina and to address frequently asked questions.

"Over the past week, we have become aware of 31 churches who, with the encouragement of the Wesleyan Covenant Association – Western North Carolina (WCA-WNC,) have engaged with a Florida law firm and are demanding transfer into a new denomination. We are deeply grieved by this action, as we seek to be a church united and engaged in making disciples of Jesus. As you read a sample of the letters we have received as well as the response of our conference chancellor (below), here are some important thoughts to keep in mind..."

A message from Bishop Carter: "There is misinformation about what the ongoing and future United Methodist Church believes. Some of this misinformation is being shared in local churches.

UMsConnected, a new ministry based in the Florida Annual Conference of the UMC under the supervision of Bishop Ken Carter, has launched. It has come into being as the new United Methodist Church emerges. In this historic time of change, there are a variety of reasons why people feel disconnected. UMsConnected is a community walking together during this time of transition, "watching over one another in love," as John Wesley put it.

In this episode, Bishop Ken Carter has a conversation Tod Bolsinger on his book Tempered Resilience: How Leaders are Formed in the Crucible of Change. This conversation was originally shared as a clergy leadership webinar jointly offered by the Florida and Western North Carolina Annual Conferences.

Join Bishop Ken Carter for a virtual conversation with New York Times bestselling author, Duke University professor, and incurable optimist, Kate Bowler. *If you are not available to watch live, go ahead and register and a recording will be sent to you after the webinar.

Bishop Ken Carter and Assistant to the Bishop Amy Coles provide answers to frequently asked questions regarding the postponement of General Conference until 2024. The answers provided here are based upon the information we know as of March 8, 2022. The delay in General Conference has proven that we are in unprecedented times and answers could change depending on various circumstances.

Bishop Ken Carter responds to the further postponement of General Conference.

The Bishop and Cabinet continue to be extremely grateful for all the many ways that you have led faithfully through these two years of the pandemic. We thank you for being the church. As we share these new recommendations, we do so asking that we all continue in the spirit of Philippians 2, “thinking more highly of others than ourselves.”

On Tuesday, March 15 at 12 p.m., Bishop Carter will moderate a webinar led by Tod Bolsinger on his book Tempered Resilience: How Leaders are Formed in the Crucible of Change. The webinar is open to all WNCC clergy.

The Appointive Cabinet meet last week to begin considering clergy whose gifts and grace would match the needs of churches where there will be an opening or maybe a change for the 2022-2023 conference year. They reflected on 102 charges, with a focus on the needs of fruitfulness and diversity in leadership.

Bishop Carter shares a message of thanks to our churches, congregations, and clergy for their faithful giving during 2021.

Bishop Carter will give the keynote address on the opening night of the weeklong Winter Leadership Training webinar series. Bishop Carter's address, titled "Our Pathways to the Post-COVID Church," will explore four interrelated pathways to the Post-Covid Church. All laity and clergy are invited to participate. Join Bishop Carter Sunday, January 23, at 5 p.m. to explore the journey we are called to walk together. There will be an opportunity for questions and answers following the presentation.

With COVID infections on the rise, increased hospitalizations over the past 4 weeks, and the highly contagious nature of both the Delta and Omicron variants, the Bishop and Cabinet of the Western North Carolina Conference are sending this reminder of best practices for ministry gatherings.

Fresh Expressions PRE-CONFERENCE @ Exponential 2022 in Orlando! Join us at a Pre-Conference Workshop entitled: "Fresh Expressions: Multiplication, Multi-site, and Missional Vitality for Everyday Christians" featuring Bishop Ken Carter and WNCC-Metro District's Rev. Dr. Stephanie Moore Hand. The realities of the last two years have thrust the church into a new era.  The challenge before us is not only to rebuild but to build anew.  For the foreseeable future we need a way of being church that is flexible in form, timely in context, rooted in depth, and scalable in resource.  This is the call for a new kind of local church.

In consultation with clergy and lay leadership (Book of Discipline, 426), the Bishop and Cabinet are pleased to announce a final appointment change that will become effective on January 1, 2022. Rev. Susan Hoyle will be appointed to Hinshaw UMC in Greensboro following the retirement of Rev. Mark R. Smith. Rev. Hoyle has been the pastor of the Centenary – Hodgin Memorial charge in Stoneville for the past seven years. The Bishop and Cabinet believe that she will offer vibrant and effective leadership to this diverse congregation and community in south Greensboro.

In an early November session of the UMC Council of Bishops, they recognized the current climate crisis to be “an existential crisis the Church cannot ignore.” Bishops then approved five responses to the climate crisis, which they acknowledged is increasing the severity of natural disasters around the world and contributing to record global migration. In response, the WNCC Creation Care Ministry Team pledges to prioritize climate-related programs and actions in 2022 and beyond.

In consultation with clergy and lay leadership (Book of Discipline, 426), the Bishop and Cabinet are pleased to announce two more mid-year appointments to begin on January 1, 2022. Rev. Amy Spivey will be appointed to St. Lukes UMC in Hickory, following 5 years of service at Monticello in Statesville. Rev. Carol Carkin will be appointed as the interim pastor at First UMC in Mount Holly after serving 5 years at Central (Concord). Both have served in various contexts and settings across the conference, and the Bishop and Cabinet believe that Rev. Spivey and Rev. Carkin will bring vital, effective, and faithful leadership to these new appointments.

  WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Council of Bishops ended its Fall meeting on Friday having spent time in worship, plenary and covenant groups as they seek God’s guidance to lead The United Methodist Church. The worship services were coordinated by Bishops Sharma Lewis and Lawson Bryan, and were led by Bishops Harald Rückert, David Bard and LaTrelle Easterling. The bishops, from Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, overwhelmingly approved a narrative that provides a framework and begins to paint a ...

Nurturing Entrepreneurial Mindsets is a free 4-week course that explores Methodism’s rich history of innovation to help imagine fresh ways individuals and churches can bear witness to the reign of God. “The Heart of Methodism” was itself a return to the life-giving practices and mindsets core to the ancient church that continued in the ministry of Jesus," says Bishop Ken Carter. "The rediscovery of who we are will be the pathway to our vitality, sustainability and innovation in the season ahead. I hope our leaders, lay and clergy, will see this as a wonderful resource for this calling.” Featuring video lessons from Dean Edgardo Colón-Emeric, Dean Emeritus Greg Jones, Dr. Laceye Warner, and Bishop Ken Carter, the course is designed as a group experience for small groups, classes, and leadership development.

In this episode, Director of Communications Melissa McGill talks to Bishop Ken Carter about leading the Church in this season, his own calling, his encouragement for church leaders, how he takes his coffee and much more.

Bishop Carter announces the relaunch of Cross and Key Ministries (previously Disciple Bible Outreach Ministries) and to encourage churches in the Western NC Conference to support this outreach through a Conference-wide special offering on Sunday, October 24, 2021.

Bishop Carter encourages WNCC churches to participate in a Special Sunday Offering on September 26 to support relief efforts in Western NC following the aftermath of Tropical Storm Fred. Smoky Mountain District Superintendent Rev. Dr. Jae Lee offers a prayer, which can be used in worship, for those who have suffered loss and those who bring relief.

Bishop Ken Carter shares his first message as Resident Bishop of the Western North Carolina Conference including four values and areas of focus for our work together.

As of September 1, 2021, Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, Jr. begins his episcopal ministry with the Western North Carolina Conference. Along with the Cabinet, he gives pastoral and administrative leadership to over 1000 congregations, fresh expressions of church, campus ministries, and outreach initiatives in an episcopal area that stretches across the 44 western counties of the state. Bishop Carter’s great hope for the church is that she will rediscover an orthodox Christian faith that offers the radically inclusive grace of God to all people, and at the same time calls every follower of Jesus to inner holiness, missional compassion, justice rooted in the gospel and a hopeful story of transformation.