For Immediate Release
November 7, 2019
Chicago, IL – The United Methodist Church's Council of Bishops has announced that Bishop Mande Muyombo will be the new chair of the Connectional Table for the 2021 – 2024 quadrennium. Bishop Muyombo will succeed Bishop Christian Alsted, who has served as chair since 2016.
Bishop Muyombo is the Resident Bishop of the North Katanga episcopal area, which includes the North Katanga, Tanganyika and Tanzania annual conferences.
Prior to his election to the episcopacy, Bishop Muyombo served in various positions at the General Board of Global Ministries, including as the Executive Director of the Global Mission Connection and as Assistant General Secretary of Missions and Evangelism. Prior to these positions, he served as Chancellor of Kamina Methodist University, located in the North Katanga province.
Bishop Muyombo was elected to the episcopacy on the fourth ballot during the Congo Central Conference in 2017. He is the first graduate of Africa University to be elected bishop and the youngest episcopal leader in the Africa central conferences.
Bishop Muyombo holds a Bachelor’s Degree (Department of Theology) and Master’s Degree (Institute of Peace, Leadership and Governance) from Africa University as well as a Master’s Degree in Theology and Doctor of Ministry from Saint Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, Kansas, USA. He also holds a degree in metallurgical civil engineering from the University of Lubamgashi in the DRC. He is married to Blandine Mujinga, an Africa University alumna. They have three daughters and a son.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Bishop Alsted for leading the Connectional Table in a new way and for pushing us to shift to a new mission focus," said Bishop Muyombo. "This is a prophetic moment where God is calling us to invest in our missional relationships and respond to God’s call to transform the world, even when that world is filled with diversity. I am looking forward to engaging that effort with the Connectional Table's board and staff.”
Christian Alsted, current Connectional Table chair and bishop of the Nordic and Baltic Episcopal area, added, "I am pleased with the direction we have set for the Connectional Table and for the foundation we have built. Bishop Muyombo will bring extensive experience as a leader at Global Ministries and as an episcopal leader in Africa in one of the largest episcopal areas on that continent. He will bring global leadership capacity to the Connectional Table that can expand upon our strong worldwide emphasis. This is the kind of leadership we need for the Connectional Table and the church, particularly at this time in the life of our denomination."
The Rev. Kennetha Bigham-Tsai, Chief Connectional Ministries Officer of the Connectional Table, expressed gratitude for these decisions, stating, "I am very grateful for the leadership that Bishop Alsted has provided, in particular his efforts to focus us on our central purpose of discerning and articulating the vision for our worldwide church. It has been a joy working with him. I am equally grateful for the election of Bishop Muyombo for this role. He brings great gifts and important perspectives that can help us continue to strive to live more fully into being a worldwide connection. I would hope that we would hold bishops Alsted and Muyombo in our prayers."
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About the Connectional Table: The Connectional Table works to steward the mission, vision and ministries of The United Methodist Church. For more information, please visit connectionaltable.umc.org.
Media Contact: Georgia Whitney
Communications Consultant
773-714-1517
gwhitney@umc.org
