A Pastoral and Administrative Statement from 
The College of Bishops About Senior Bishop Thomas Hoyt, Jr.

The College of Bishops of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
September 25, 2013

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CHRISTIAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH:

     As you are acutely and painfully aware, on Sunday, September 23, 2013, our beloved Senior Bishop and Presiding Bishop of the Seventh Episcopal District, Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr., experienced a health crisis.  Our prayers as well as yours are that God in God's merciful goodness will continue to heal and sustain Bishop Hoyt and continue to comfort Mrs. Ocie Hoyt.
     However, because the nature of his illness at the present time renders him unable to perform any administrative or sacred functions either as the Senior Bishop or as Presiding Bishop of the Seventh Episcopal District, the College of Bishops makes the following statement:
 Pursuant to  ¶437.2 of THE BOOK OF DISCIPLINE, REVISED 2010, to wit, The College of Bishops shall be the Executive Body of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church with authority to speak and act for the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in the interim of the General Conference and the General Connectional Board;
and ¶437.6, to wit,

Unless otherwise directed by the General Conference, the College of Bishops shall, upon advice of the Legal Counsel, make the legal decisions and take the necessary steps necessary to preserve and protect the interests of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church;
and because of the undetermined extent of Bishop Hoyt's condition at the present time, The College of Bishops takes these actions:
     First, that Bishop Paul A.G. Stewart, Sr., shall be the Acting Senior Bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church with all the authority appertaining thereto.
     Second, that the Acting Senior Bishop will assign associative episcopal leadership to provide episcopal supervision of the Seventh Episcopal District until such time as the Acting Senior Bishop is officially notified that Bishop Hoyt is medically able to resume full duties and responsibilities as Senior Bishop.
     Asking your continued prayers for Bishop Hoyt and his family as well as the Acting Senior Bishop, we remain,

THE COLLEGE OF BISHOPS

Bishop Paul A.G. Stewart, Sr.
Bishop Lawrence L. Reddick, III
Bishop Henry M. Williamson, Sr.
Bishop Thomas L. Brown, Sr.
Bishop Kenneth W. Carter
Bishop James B. Walker
Bishop Sylvester Williams, Sr.
Bishop Teresa E. Snorton
Bishop Godwin T. Umoette
Bishop Ronald M. Cunningham
Bishop E. Lynn Brown
Bishop Othal H. Lakey
Bishop William H. Graves
Bishop Marshall Gilmore
Bishop Dotcy I. Isom, Jr.