Witnesses Paint Differing Pictures of Suspended Bishop

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GLENVIEW, Ill. – Two district superintendents from the California-Nevada Annual Conference painted vastly different pictures of suspended Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño's character and actions during the second day of her trial on four chargeable offenses.

The testimony of Rev. Shinya Goto, superintendent of the Rios District, and Rev. Staci Current, former superintendent of the Bay District, frequently contradicted one another under questions from church counsel Rev. Janet Forbes and the bishop's advocate Rev. Scott Campbell. Rev. Goto's testimony came toward the end of the church's case, while Rev. Current was the first witness for the defense.

Rev. Goto testified to the conflict that emerged over a request from the Rev. Chelsea Constant's request for 12 weeks' maternity leave at the same time she asked to be appointed as a church planting pastor. Rev. Constant had testified prior to his appearance about feeling hurt and vulnerable by the conflict, which occurred in 2020 at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Rev. Goto said that Bishop Carcaño and Rev. Current were "arguing" against the proposal. Rev. Current countered in her own testimony that she and the bishop "spoke from their experience" as clergywomen who gave birth while under appointment as a pastor.

"They said it wasn't a good thing," Rev. Goto said. "It got heated."

Rev. Goto said the bishop was "outraged" at Rev. Constant's mission plan in which she said that having an infant would give her connection with the "target audience" of young families for the new church plant.

"The bishop said, 'this is horrible; she's using her baby as a tool for ministry,'" Rev. Goto said. "At that point I felt there was no talking about this issue, so I stopped speaking."

He said that he felt henceforth that he should "protect" Rev. Constant from interacting with Bishop Carcaño.

In contrast to Rev. Goto's testimony, Rev. Current described that discussion of Rev. Constant's appointment more as excited and supportive.

"Bishop Carcaño and I had both had the experience of being a clergywoman under appointment while having a baby," Rev. Current said. "I remember the bishop's questions were about how Rev. Constant could start a new appointment while on leave. She was concerned about flexibility if something unexpected happened, God forbid."

Rev. Goto testified that during the cabinet conversation he ceased to discuss Rev. Constant's leave and appointment because he perceived that the bishop was resistant to the matter.

On the other hand, Rev. Current said that the appointive cabinet continued to hold ongoing discussions about Rev. Constant's request. She said a major administrative concern was whether funds from the congregational development program should pay for Rev. Constant's maternity leave if she were appointed as a full-time church planter effective July 1, 2020 during her leave.

Rev. Constant testified that she felt hurt and vulnerable because of the conflict over her appointment and maternity leave. Eventually, Rev. Constant received the requested 12-week maternity leave and was initially appointed one-quarter time as a church planter and three-quarter time as associate pastor of Asbury UMC.

On Sept. 21, Bishop Carcaño denied Rev. Goto's testimony that she asked for a letter from Rev. Constant justifying her maternity leave and appointment request. She also said she would have welcomed a face-to-face conversation to share "openly, frankly all the dimensions of what we hoped for now." The bishop said she wasn't angry with Rev. Constant.

The bishop said she didn't think the split appointment was good but that she proposed the quarter-time church planting appointment to give Rev. Constant the opportunity to work on cultural diversity at the new church.

Veteran award-winning journalist Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011 to amplify news and views of marginalized and under-served United Methodists. This content may be reproduced elsewhere with credit and link to the original posting.