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The Rev. Peggy Johnson has received an endorsement for the episcopacy from the Baltimore-Washington Conference's General and Jurisdiction Conference delegations.

Johnson, pastor of Christ United Methodist Church of the Deaf in Baltimore, was one of four candidates considered by the delegation, in a series of ballots, when it met for a process of discernment Feb. 2. The delegates voted to unanimously move the nomination forward to annual conference.

The other candidates, who were considered but not endorsed, were the Revs. Cynthia Belt of Centennial-Caroline Street UMC in Baltimore, Laura Easto of Westminster UMC, and Mamie Williams of Fowler UMC in Annapolis.

All t he candidates were nominated by their peers, who shared statements of introduction with the delegation. The four who were endorsed also supplied biographic information and detailed statements about why they felt called to pursue the office of bishop.

Each candidate offered statements and answered questions for approximately an hour each about their theology, the future of the church and the type of leadership they would provide.

In a prayerful process, the delegation reviewed the statements and weighed each candidate's potential for the episcopacy.

The delegates then voiced their opinions in a series of ballots. To be elected, the candidate had to chosen by a two-thirds majority vote.

In her remarks, Johnson told the group that she had felt a call to the episcopacy four years ago. She described herself as a "centrist," who trained in conservative theology and biblical skills at Asbury Theological Seminary and in liberal theology and social justice at Wesley Theological Seminary.

She believes these two points of view can exist in creative tension and hopes that the church will "focus on the overwhelmingly important issues that unite us: God's grace, mercy and salvation for all. This is our true mission.

"I don't expect to save this denomination from decline … but to model the outrageous inclusive love of Christ to the people in the margins. This is our Wesleyan heritage," Johnson said. "I do not desire personal power or honor. I hope that I could use the episcopal office to call people to humility and social responsibility and challenge the classism that exists in our structure."

Baptized at Lansdowne Methodist Church in Baltimore in 1954, Johnson is a child of the Baltimore-Washington Conference. She was ordained in 1981 and has served Mt. Pleasant Church in Frederick; Lansdowne UMC; as a chaplain at Gallaudet University; and at Christ United Methodist Church of the Deaf.

She has been elected four times to represent the Baltimore-Washington Conference at General Conference. She has served in a number of leadership positions in the conference and at the General Church level, including the General Board of Higher Education and General Board of Global Ministries.
She has a doctorate of ministry degree from Wesley Theological Seminary, is married to the Rev. Michael Johnson and has two adult sons.

In 2007, she published a book, "Deaf Ministry: Make a Joyful Silence," about her groundbreaking ministry.

The discernment of the delegation and Johnson's candidacy will be considered by the members of the Baltimore-Washington Conference when they meet in their annual session May 22-24.

Annual conference members will vote upon whether to send Johnson forward as the endorsed candidate for bishop from the Baltimore-Washington Conference.

The Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference, made up of representatives from each of the jurisdiction's 13 annual conferences, will be held July 16-18 in the Hilton Harrisburg Hotel and Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts in Harrisburg, Pa.

Two bishops are expected to be elected at this session.

For more information see www.nejumc.org.