Paul Jeffrey Paul Jeffrey/United Methodist Ne
Opposing counsel greets bishop
GLENVIEW, Ill. – The Rev. Janet Forbes, counsel for the church, greets Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño (right) following the announcement of the jury verdict on September 22, 2023, the fourth day of her church trial in Glenview, Illinois. Carcaño was found not guilty on all four charges against her. Forbes was the lead counsel for the church in the trial – the equivalent of the prosecution. (Photo by Paul Jeffrey, UM News.)
Now that Bishop Minerva G. Carcano has been found not guilty of the four chargeable offenses brought against her, the two United Methodist units involved in her investigation have issued statements on the results of the trial that took place Sept. 19-22 at the headquarters of Wespath Benefits and Investments in Glenview, Ill.
The Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops issued its statement on Sept. 22 shortly after the trial court announced the unanimous verdict of 13 jurors to acquit Bishop Carcano. Titled "A pastoral letter from the Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops," the statement echoed remarks aimed at "healing" made by its current president, Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank, to United Methodist Insight immediately after the verdict was announced.
Signed by Bishop Escobedo-Frank of the Los Angeles Area, and college secretary Bishop Carlo A. Rapanut of the Phoenix Area, the media release said:
Dear Beloved Members of The United Methodist Church in the West,
Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ.
Today, a jurisdictional trial concluded that involved our colleague, Bishop Minerva Carcaño, as respondent. Under the oversight of presiding officer Bishop Alfred Gwinn, the trial resulted in a dismissal of all four charges against Bishop Carcaño as the jury found her actions to be within the bounds of her episcopal authority.
Although the judicial process is complete, we recognize that pain and anguish are present in this moment. We especially extend our care to those who gave voice to their convictions with courage through the complaint process and the trial. We don’t minimize the hurt we all carry, and at the same time, we begin the work of healing. No verdict – innocent or guilty – will do the hard work of restoring and building the necessary trust for healthy relationships. This will require diligence, mercy, reconciliation, and restoration by all parties.
With the trial now over, the Western Jurisdiction’s College of Bishops will welcome Bishop Carcaño back into our shared collaborative work. As we build new and restore old relationships, we will walk alongside her as fellow servant leaders, even as we continue to hold each other accountable in love.
We are thankful for all who contributed their time and gifts to this trial, ensuring a fair hearing of the facts and the faithful deliberations of the jury. The court’s officers, presiding officer Bishop Gwinn and secretary Rev. R. Preston Price, capably facilitated while coordinating details for the relocated trial with leadership in the North Central Jurisdiction and our building host, Wespath.
We also give thanks for the leaders within the Western Jurisdiction who navigated this complaint process with diligence and care, balancing the requirements of The Discipline with a desire to do no harm. In particular, we offer our gratitude to Rev. Janet Forbes and Richard Marsh, who dutifully represented the Church as counsel in this trial.
As your College of Bishops, we remain committed to guiding our jurisdiction through this season with integrity, compassion, and a listening spirit. We invite you to join us in prayer, seeking God’s wisdom and grace as we navigate the path ahead.
In a similar vein, the California-Nevada Annual Conference issued a press release on Sept. 24 announcing the trial results. The statement posted on the conference website included a panel listing Bishop Carcano as resident bishop along with the Rev. Mike Harrell, the bishop's administrative assistant who testified on behalf of the church's case at the trial. Subsequent to the media release, the conference sent an email inviting California-Nevada United Methodists to a worship service with Bishop Carcano on World Communion Sunday, Oct. 1, at First United Methodist Church in Sacramento, Calif.
Cal-Nevada Communion
California-Nevada Conference Poster
The conference release, written by retired United Methodist communicator Kathy L. Gilbert, read:
United Methodist Bishop Minerva Carcaño was exonerated of all charges by a jury of 13 North Central Jurisdiction United Methodist clergy on Sept. 22 in Chicago.
The denomination’s first Latina bishop has been on leave since March 9, 2022 while complaints against her were under review.
All four charges, which included 26 specifications, received votes of 13-0. The trial began at 8 a.m. on Sept. 18. The jury started deliberations at 4 p.m Sept. 21. They made their unanimous verdict at 8:32 p.m. The verdict was read when the trial started again at 8 a.m. Sept. 22.
“I am grateful for the jury for the time and faithfulness they have displayed in their task. Now I am eager to return to the work of ministry in the California-Nevada Conference and The United Methodist Church and the process of healing for all and the ministry of the church,” Bishop Carcaño said at the end of the proceedings.
The Rev. Scott Campbell was counsel for Bishop Carcaño.
“For me, it was an honor to be trusted by Bishop Carcaño and to be invited to participate in this search for justice,” he said. “I was heartened by the decision and at the same time aware of the long road that lies ahead. My prayers are for everyone who has been and who will be involved in this process.”
Retired Judge Jon R. Gray, attorney at Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. in Kansas City, Missouri, served as assistant counsel without voice.
“My involvement in Bishop Carcaño’s defense team was a matter of justice and pushing the church to do the right thing. I am grateful for the jury verdict. I empathized with the people involved who saw things differently. I pray for healing for all.”
Gray, who was also a part of the trial of Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe, said he saw some inequitable measures applied in that case he saw also applied here.
“The church has always had a racial dilemma and the dilemma remains.”
Retired Bishop Alfred W. Gwinn was the presiding officer. At the end of reading the verdicts Gwinn said, “Trials wound as much as they help. This is not the way for the church.”
The four charges were “disobedience to the order and discipline of The United Methodist Church,” under ¶2702.1(d) of the 2016 Book of Discipline; “relationships and/or behavior that undermines the ministry of another pastor under ¶2702.1(f) of the 2016 Book of Discipline;” “harassment, including, but not limited to racial and/or sexual harassment,” under ¶2702.1(j) of the 2016 Book of Discipline; fiscal malfeasance” under Par. 2702.1(l) of the 2016 Book of Discipline.”
Gwinn said, “We must repair harm. We are not witnessing to the secular world with this process.”
Carcaño has served in ordained ministry for 47 years. She was elected bishop by delegates in Western Jurisdiction in 2004.
As bishop, she has led three episcopal areas in succession — Desert Southwest, California-Pacific and, since 2016, California-Nevada.
The Western Jurisdiction includes the 12 westernmost U.S. states and the territories of Guam and Saipan.
Bishop Carcaño gives thanks to the outpouring of support and prayers she has received from around the denomination from all parts of the world. Those prayers have helped support her through these past 18 months.
She is also so thankful for the outpouring of support that has come from ecumenical and interfaith colleagues and from leaders she has been privileged to serve with in the areas of community organizing, philanthropy and global migration.
She especially thanks the congregation she was birthed into and that continues to be her home church, El Buen Pastor UMC of Edinburg, Texas. Those prayers and unconditional love have sustained her throughout her life and discipleship.
She also gives thanks for the hospitality of the North Central Jurisdiction and Wespath.
To date, no official body has announced what a process for healing might look like for the California-Nevada Annual Conference or the Western Jurisdiction College of Bishops.
Historically, bishops' assignments have changed after jurisdictional conferences typically held over the summer after a General Conference. However, the coronavirus pandemic resulted in postponements of both events, with bishops' assignments finally changing Jan. 1 this year after jurisdictional conferences in November 2022. The extraordinary jurisdictional conferences were held to elect new bishops to succeed retiring episcopal leaders – including Scott Jones of Texas Conference and Mark Webb of Upper New York Conference – who took early retirement from the UMC to become bishops in the fledgling Global Methodist Church founded by dissident traditionalists in May 2022.
The next General Conference is scheduled April 23-May 3, 2023 in Charlotte, N.C.
Veteran award-winning religion journalist Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011 as a media channel to amplify news and views by and for marginalized and under-served United Methodists. This content may be reproduced elsewhere with full credit to United Methodist Insight and a link back to the original publication.