| Delegation endorses Matthews for bishop by Erik Alsgaard UMConnection Staff  The delegation of the Baltimore-Washington Conference to General and Jurisdictional conferences has endorsed the Rev. Marcus Matthews as a candidate for episcopal office.
The vote occurred Feb. 7 at the delegations regular meeting. Its an honor which I consider to be a privilege, said Matthews, superintendent of the Washington West district since 1999. I have been affirmed by my colleagues who I have been in ministry with for many years. We are fortunate to have Marcus Matthews as our endorsed candidate, said the Rev. David Argo, chair of the delegation. His leadership skills and commitment to inclusiveness will be an asset to our jurisdiction. Born in Florence, S.C., Matthews was ordained deacon there in 1972, and was ordained elder in this conference in 1975. He has served at Douglas Memorial, Asbury and Jones Memorial UMCs, all in Washington, and Epworth Chapel UMC in Baltimore. From 1986 to 1991, he served as the superintendent of the Baltimore East District. In 1991, he began an eight-year term of ministry as the conference council director. Married for 29 years to Barbara, the Matthews have two adult children, Jaime and Marci, and three grandchildren. It is the tradition of the elected delegates from the Baltimore-Washington Conference to nominate a person for episcopal office, Matthews said. What is unusual is the process the delegation used this time around. This is the first time we used a process of discernment, he said. This, for me, has been a much more thoughtful process. Every elder in full connection is eligible for election to the office of bishop, according to the United Methodist Book of Discipline. (403) An annual conferencemay name one or more nominees for episcopal election, reads 406.1. The delegations action does not mean the annual conference has also endorsed Matthews. The Baltimore-Washington Conferences next annual meeting is May 27-30 in Washington, where delegates are free to endorse Matthews or anyone else, or no one at all. | 
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