COB calls for all to join day of prayer against COVID-19; sets April 29-May 1 for virtual meeting

March 24, 2020
Washington, D. C – The Council of Bishops (COB) of The United Methodist Church has asked all United Methodists to join people of faith in a day of prayer tomorrow, March 25, asking God to rid the world of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Executive Committee of the Council of Bishops, meeting by phone earlier today, cared for three agenda items:
  1. We join with Pope Francis in calling for prayer tomorrow, March 25, drawing strength from the Annunciation (Luke 1. 26-38), as we are approximately nine months from the celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We invite all to pray to God to rid the world of the coronavirus pandemic. And all are urged to pray the Lord’s Prayer at noon in their own time zones. In the words of Pope Francis, “We wish to respond to the pandemic of the virus with the universality of prayer, of compassion and tenderness.” As we prepare to celebrate the resurrection at Easter, we have sure trust and confidence that God will hear the united prayers of the church across the world.
     
  2. The Executive Committee announced that members of the Council of Bishops will meet virtually on April 29, 30 and May 1.
     
  3. The Executive Committee forwarded to the full Council of Bishops a recommendation of dates for the Jurisdiction Conferences to be held, with a desire to communicate this with the announcement of the dates of the General Conference in the near future.
 
The COB also announced that the May meeting of the Council will be a virtual meeting April 29-May 1, 2020.