Bishop's Forum 2003 Participants

Judith Craig specializes in religious education of adults. She was elected Bishop in 1984 and appointed to the Michigan Area where she served until her reassignment in 1992 to the West Ohio Area. In retirement she is Bishop in Residence and Visiting Professor of Church Leadership at Methodist Theological School in Ohio. Her workshop on "Keeping Spirit Alive While Guarding Tradition" deals with holding personal convictions in the face of what the church teaches - when they do not agree.

Before being elected Bishop in 1992, Donald A. Ott served as pastor, District Superintendent, and Council Director in the Wisconsin Conference. He was Bishop in the Michigan Area 1992-2000. He is currently Coordinator of Council on Bishops' Initiative on Children and Poverty. He has interest in numerous issues and his workshop on "End of Life Decisions" will explore whether or not we should have public policy that allows physician assisted death.

Ann Brookshire Sherer was a pastor and district superintendent in the Texas Conference before being elected Bishop in 1992. Since that date she has served as Bishop of the Missouri Conference. She has strong interest in missions, having visited churches and missions in Africa, South and Central America, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Middle East. She is currently chairperson for the "Council of Bishops Initiative on Children and Poverty" and will lead a workshop about the initiative.

Charles W. Jordan served in the Northern Illinois Conference with Rockford Urban Ministry, on the conference program staff, as a pastor, and as a District Superintendent before being elected Bishop in 1992. He was Bishop of the Iowa Area, 1992-2000. In retirement, he is Bishop in Residence at Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA. His workshop will be "Multicultural Challenges for an Inclusive Church."

Sharon Zimmerman Rader served in the Northern Illinois and Western Michigan Conferences before being elected Bishop and assigned to the Wisconsin Conference in 1992. She serves as Secretary of the Council of Bishops and on the United Methodist Church's Board of Higher Education and Ministry as well as the National Council of Churches. Her workshop "Please! Let's Not Get Along" deals with conflict resolution.

Raised a Quaker, C. Joseph Sprague was Executive Director of the Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati and pastor in Ohio churches before being elected Bishop in 1996. He has been Bishop of the Northern Illinois Conference since that date. In his recent book, "Affirmations of a Dissenter", he cites the loss of hope as the primary issue facing our church today. His workshop will be on “Stories of Hope from the Bible.”

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