News and Views

Throughout the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Conferences, leaders are celebrating the return of Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, who was assigned to serve for four more years as their episcopal leader. 

Among the Area’s 10 district superintendents, the Revs. Dawn Hand and Tina Blake, the deans of the two Cabinets, lifted up the bishop’s “vital leadership, and the way she has challenged us to deepen our discipleship and provided vast resources to aid in this endeavor. … Bishop Easterling embodies a servant’s heart,” they said. “She will continue to lead us boldly and faithfully in our missional areas of anti-racism, combatting domestic violence and 100% of our churches being 100% vital.”

Both the laity and clergy expressed joy at the bishop’s return. “Bishop Easterling means many wonderful things to me,” said BWC Lay Leader Amelia Duroska. “However, the first that comes to mind is her strength: strength of character, strength of faith, strength of leadership.”

The Rev. Amy McCullough, the former chair of the BWC’s Board of Ordained ministry who worked the bishop during the last quadrennium agreed. “Bishop Easterling has blessed the Baltimore-Washington Conference with her profound faith, energetic leadership, prophetic preaching, and a commitment to dream big, new dreams for our church. She is a teacher, a poet, an advocate, especially for those suffering injustice, and a prayer warrior. I am grateful that we are welcoming her back to our conference for the next quadrennium,” she said.

In the stewardship arena, the Rev. Daryl Williams, chair of the BWC Council on Finance and Administration is “incredibly excited” about the bishop’s return. “Bishop Easterling has led through unprecedented and tumultuous times with grace, boldness, and, most importantly, unwavering faith,” he said. “It is this track record of leadership combined with her vision for a prosperous and prophetic future that puts us on a path to continue doing life-changing ministry in innovative ways to the glory of God.”

In the areas of mission and ministry, leaders are excited about the bishop’s vision of churches growing in vitality. “I am thrilled and overjoyed that our beloved bishop, LaTrelle Miller Easterling, has been re-appointed,” said Kris Neale, chair of the BWC’s Discipleship Council. “Bishop Easterling is a bold, Spirit-filled servant leader whose leadership flows from her deep commitment and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. She embodies the Good News she preaches, empowering all those around her, standing up for justice with unwavering dedication, breaking down barriers, lifting up the marginalized, and bringing people together. Bishop Easterling always reminds us of who and whose we are, inspiring creativity and collaboration. The Holy Spirit is moving powerfully throughout the church, and God has given us Bishop Easterling for such a time as this.” 

Under Bishop Easterling’s leadership, that spirit of mission and ministry has grown throughout the affiliation, said the Rev. Jackie Ford, the Pen-Del director of Connectional Ministries.

“Bishop Easterling is an episcopal servant leader who leads with vision, passion, compassion, and excellence while being led by the Spirit,” Ford said. “Her vision for the Missional Action Plan (MAP), to have 100% of our churches become 100% vital, has led to congregations and districts in both conferences forming community partnerships that result in a win/win for all. … She continues to live into her love of God and pours it out on all God’s people so that we will grow in our spiritual witness, in our ministry to the least, last, lost and marginalized, and in our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. 

The Rev. Jack Shitama, director of the Center for Vital Leadership, celebrates the ongoing partnership between Pen-Del and the BWC.  “We are combining efforts and resources in ways that benefit congregations across both conferences,” he said. “This isn't just because of the vision that God gave our bishop. It's also because of the courage she showed in executing that vision.”

The Deacons in both conferences also celebrate the bishop’s vision for their ministries. “She truly is our Chief Servant. We are blessed to have her for another four years!” said the Rev. Leo Yates, chair of the Order of Deacons.

On a lighter note, the Rev. Michael Parker, the unofficial chair of the Committee on Episcopal Verbiage who celebrates Bishop Easterling’s love of language on Facebook, says “it goes beyond saying that the investment she has made into everyone’s vocabulary is indispensable!”

And, Parker goes on to note, “Bishop Easterling’s ministry has not only given me something to ascribe to, but it has strengthened both my faith and my ability to lead in uncertain times. I consider being ordained by Bishop Easterling one of the highlights of my journey. “

The BWC’s youth and young adults, who hold a special place in the bishop’s heart, are also celebrating her return. The Rev. Sam Tryon, chair of the BWC’s Young Adult Council notes all that has taken place during the last eight years in the BWC and beyond, including the COVID pandemic, denominational schism, natural disasters, and the erosion of the respect for human dignity in our national politics.

“I know that God sent her to us for such a time as this,” Tryon said. “Bishop Easterling’s courageous leadership kept us grounded in our strength and our purpose as God’s people. Her courage has also opened the door for us to have brave conversations about racial justice and God’s dream for a more inclusive church. Bishop Easterling is an innovator.  She has collaborated with conference leaders to hone the BWC's mission and ministry priorities. She has lived her episcopal calling with integrity and helps us to be a better conference by challenging us to grow more perfect in love.”

Ryan Taylor, one of the BWC’s youth representatives to the Jurisdictional Conference, echoed these sentiments. “It has been an absolute privilege to have Bishop LaTrelle Miller Easterling serving as our episcopal leader. She has been a blessing to my life and my spiritual journey as a young adult in The United Methodist Church. She is the most humble, hardworking, and intelligent woman I have ever met,” Taylor said.

What I love most about Bishop is how much she loves the young people of the conference. A moment with her that touched my heart particularly was at this year’s Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference, where I had the privilege to sit alongside her. On the river cruise, I challenged her to a dance battle during the song “YMCA.”  She cheerfully humored me, and I regret to say she won. Thank you, Bishop Easterling, for blessing this conference and me with your spiritual guidance, and I speak for all of us when I say we are more than ready to “get back to work.”

The Rev. Jim Miller, chair of the BWC’s Episcopacy Committee is also looking forward to the future.

 Bishop Easterling “has taught by word and example what it looks like for each of us to strive to be obedient disciples,” he said. “I truly believe God has exciting plans for us as a conference. Through Bishop Easterling’s willingness to grow and lead in Christ, she will continue to be the prophetic voice we need to follow to fulfill God’s plan.”

Other leaders are also “looking forward to continuing the adventure God has set out for us under her leadership. Over the next quadrennium, let us go forward together,” they say, “trusting in the Holy Spirit and living boldly into God’s dream together as the body of Christ. … We’re just getting started and we’re excited about what is possible over the next quadrennium. Praise God that Bishop Easterling will continue as our leader!”