By: Christa Meland

At the end of the consecration worship service Saturday morning, United Methodists in the North Central Jurisdiction learned where each of the jurisdiction’s nine bishops will be assigned for the next four years.
 
While Bishop Ough has been reassigned to the Dakotas-Minnesota Area through 2020, newly minted Bishop David Alan Bard will be heading to the Michigan Area in August.
 
“Char and I are delighted to be re-assigned to the Dakotas-Minnesota Area,” said Ough. “We have accomplished much in the last four years together. The list is too long to recite. The faithfulness, courage to innovate, and generosity of United Methodists in Minnesota and the Dakotas has clearly set us on a path to vitality in our witness and missional impact. Everywhere I am privileged to travel in the area, I see God working through you and your churches to change lives and bring hope to our communities and the world.”
 
The North Central Jurisdiction’s Episcopacy Committee is responsible for assigning bishops—a process that begins immediately after all bishops are elected. The committee includes two people from each annual conference, and members concluded their work at about 8 p.m. Friday.
 
Here’s a look at where each bishop will be assigned for the next four years:
 
Bishop Bruce R. Ough: Dakotas-Minnesota Area
 
Bishop David Alan Bard: Michigan Area
 
Bishop Frank Beard: Illinois-Great Rivers Conference
 
Bishop Sally Dyck: Northern Illinois Conference
 
Bishop Laurie Haller: Iowa Conference
 
Bishop Hee Song Jung: Wisconsin Conference
 
Bishop Tracy S. Malone: East Ohio Conference
 
Bishop Gregory J. Palmer: West Ohio Conference
 
Bishop Julius Trimble: Indiana Conference
 
Christa Meland is director of communications for the Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.