There are many leadership maxims that proclaim the importance of vision, including Proverbs 29:18a which boldly proclaims, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” But how does a leader arrive at a vision that inspires and unites those they are leading? Leaders might answer that question differently, but for Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi, vision is best discerned in community. In the sermon she offered at her Service of Welcome, Bishop Moore-Koikoi made it clear that both EPA and GNJ would indeed have a vision to guide their ministry—but that this vision would be discerned together.
On January 17, 2026, the Connectional Tables of EPA and GNJ, which are comprised of the chair of every board and committee in each conference, took the first step toward discerning the vision for what God is calling EPA and GNJ to be and to do in this season of ministry.
The day began with a time of centering led by Ty “Dancing Wolf” Ellis, a member of the Lenai-Lenape tribe. He lit a smudge pot representing a cleansing of spirit and mind, and then sang two chants in his native people’s tongue: “Creator Walk with Me” and “This Is All I Have.”
Next, Ms. Lenora Thompson, chair of EPA’s Connectional Table, offered a welcome and opening prayer. “May we be open to new thoughts, ideas, and direction,” she prayed, “committed to everything in the process that we are doing.”
Bishop Moore-Koikoi then rose to offer her greetings, reminding everyone of what she said when she first arrived: “When I first arrived on September 1, many people asked me, ‘Bishop, what is your vision?’ I don’t want you to follow my vision. I want us together to discern God’s vision.”
She went on to explain that different leadership styles suit different seasons of ministry. In times of crisis, it can be helpful for someone to lead like Moses, going up the mountain, speaking with God, and then returning to the people to say, “This is what we are going to do.” Other seasons call for leadership more like Deborah’s: sitting with the people and listening and looking for God’s movement alongside them.
“You’ve all heard the proverb, ‘If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,’” Bishop Moore-Koikoi shared. “We need to go far. We need a collective vision that we are invested in—one that is owned by the people. How does God want us to be? What does God want us to do as annual conferences serving together?”
As she concluded her remarks, Bishop Moore-Koikoi invited each leader present to consider the ways they are developing other leaders—nurturing them to take on the roles we currently hold.
After a blessing from Rev. Shelley Smith, GNJ Conference Secretary, leaders from each conference dispersed into separate rooms for a time of holy wrestling, listening for what the Holy Spirit might be beckoning from within each annual conference.
Once the leaders of EPA & GNJ gathered in their respective spaces, discernment began in earnest. As many visioning processes do, it started with Post-it notes. Each leader wrote down ideas about what the annual conference’s priorities should be in this season and placed them on the wall. After everyone had a chance to share, the group worked together to organize the ideas around common themes.
The process was slow and intentional, with organizers careful to ensure that what was recorded on the wall truly reflected the spirit of the room. Rev. Lorelei Toombs, Director for Lay Leadership Development for EPA and GNJ, described the exercise as “holy wrestling together to arrive at the truth of where we stand and what we need to move forward at this time.”
After deep conversation, reflection, and significant personal sharing, both EPA and GNJ arrived at the priorities they believed God was inviting them to attend to in this season of ministry. Leaders from the two conferences gathered together to share their priorities, along with the stories and ideas that had sparked their imagination along the way.
EPA identified a call to:
- Lovingly sharing the Gospel with all people & service to our neighbors
- Prophetic and Bold Witness and Leadership in our community
- Transformational Equipping and Empowering of Discipleship of all ages & calling
These commitments led to a focus on the following priority areas:
- Strengthening the local church
- Justice
- Leadership, discipleship, and ministry with youth and young adults
GNJ identified four top priorities:
- Social justice—loving God and neighbor
- Discipleship—a lifelong, Christ-centered, and guided process
- New and renewed expressions of church—creating and revitalizing faith communities through new models and ministries
- Young people’s ministry—nurturing, empowering, and connecting young people through spiritual formation, leadership, service, and community
As hopes and dreams were voiced and priorities shared by elected leaders from across both conferences, it became clear that although each conference traveled a distinct journey and emphasized slightly different areas, there was clear thematic overlap.
Together, the clergy and lay leaders who comprise the Connectional Tables of EPA and GNJ broadly identified the following as key areas where God is calling focused attention in this season:
- Social justice
- Discipleship
- Leadership development
- New and renewed expressions of church ministry
- Young people’s ministry
On January 17, the leaders elected to represent EPA and GNJ gathered for a time of dreaming and storytelling. They listened on our behalf for what God is doing and attended to what the Spirit is revealing in this season.
They have begun the work—but they did not, and indeed cannot, finish it alone. The work continues with you. The conference is not a far-off entity comprised only of people who work in an office building; the conference is each of us. Every member of every local church is part of the conference. Together, we look for what God is doing. Together, we discern where the Holy Spirit is leading.
We are living in a new season under a new United Methodist vision. It is time to engage with our Creator, who is always creating and recreating. It is time to discern where God is inviting us to focus our energy and attention. The Connectional Tables, the elected leadership of EPA and GNJ, have begun this work, but it continues with you.
Where do you believe the Holy Spirit is inviting us to focus our energy and attention at this time? Take a brief survey and let your voice be heard.