A Special Session for the election of clergy and lay delegates to the West Africa Regional Conference and the General Conference of The United Methodist Church was concluded on Sunday by the Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church (LAC/UMC).
The Special Session sprang out of the decision made by Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr., his Cabinet, and the Executive Committee for the purpose of electing delegates, would be held in July in conjunction with the Gbarnga District Conference.
It was held from July 10–12, 2026 at St. John UMC in Gbarnga City, Bong County under the theme, “Elections for God’s Glorification,” with the scriptural text taken from Acts 6:1–7.
The elected clergy and lay delegates will represent the Liberia Annual Conference at the Special Session of the West Africa Regional Conference, expected to be held in Liberia in December of this year, as well as the 2028 General Conference in the United States of America, Bishop Quire announced.
“This gathering is in fulfillment of an agenda item from our 193rd Annual Session. Let it be made clear that, in The United Methodist Church, the authority to call a Special Session rests with the Bishop, in consultation with the Cabinet,” Bishop Quire said.
The Special Session is also pivoted on Judicial Council Decisions 1451, 1472, and 1485 which provides that such elections shall occur no more than two Annual Conference sessions before the calendar year preceding the General Conference.
It is also predicated on the expiry of the terms of the delegates who represented the LAC at the 2020/2024 General Conference at the conclusion of that quadrennium.
It can be recalled that the delegate elections were not conducted during either the 192nd or the 193rd Annual Sessions of the Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church held in Greenville City, Sinoe County.
The Special Session was in accordance with Paragraph 370.6 of the Book of Discipline solely for the purpose of electing delegates to the General Conference and the West Africa Regional Conference.
Also, the Constitution and the 2020/2024 Book of Discipline of the UMC require every Annual Conference to elect clergy and lay delegates to the General Conference and the Regional Conference for each quadrennium.
Clergy and lay delegates elected to serve as its official delegation to the General Conference and the West Africa Regional Conference for the forthcoming quadrennium include, for Clergy Delegates (Primary), Rev. Dr. David M. Tokpah, Rev. Dr. George K. Wheagba, Rev. Peter F. Kaykpah, Rev. Paul Kadiaya Gartor, Rev. Moses K. Yebleh, Rev. Decontee A. Johnson, and Rev. George K. Mombo.
Also, those elected Clergy Reserve Delegates are Rev. James Fongbah, Rev. Dr. Lawrence Bropleh, Rev. Konton Brownell, Rev. Caleb S. G. Dormah, Rev. Cecilia Mapleh, Rev. J. Joel Gould, Rev. Benjamin Korpelleh, while Lay Delegates (Primary) include Cllr. Dr. Tolbert G. Nyenswah, Mth. Josephine Snorton, Fth. Samuel Swen Kun, Jr., Cllr. Samuel T. Zonoe, Bro. Emmanuel Menyonbeh, Bro. Jonathan Siakeh, Bro. Jefferson Knight. For Lay Reserve Delegates, they are Mth. Theresa M. Davies, Mth. Pauline Doe Hilton, Bro. Debester Kpoquinyan, Jr., Bro. Adophus W. Dupley, Bro. Allison Paygar, Dr. Joseph Boldar, and Bro. Eric Drow.
Bishop Quire used the occasion to emphasize that elections in the Church should be guided by Christian character, service, and the glorification of God rather than merely acquiring numbers.
“Elections are held in the Church of God to help advance the work and Word of God. Elections are about Christian character, not numbers alone,” Bishop Quire emphasized, while urging the delegates to embrace servant leadership and remain committed to the people they have been chosen to represent.
“Leadership is about service to God’s people. Be a servant leader. Do not seek leadership for personal benefit, but serve the people. When people are elected, God should be glorified,” he noted.
Bishop Quire also encouraged those who were not elected to remain committed to the unity and mission of the Church.
“Your time will come. If someone is elected before you, work together for the common good of the Church. After the election, let us join hands. The United Methodist Church must remain united.”
Conference Lay Leader Cllr. Dr. Tolbert G. Nyenswah thanked clergy and lay members of the Liberia Annual Conference for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the Special Called Session, including the election of delegates.
Cllr. Dr. Nyenswah said United Methodists should be proud of themselves for the extremely peaceful manner in which the session and elections were conducted, describing the process as a demonstration of the true spirit of Methodism.
He emphasized that Methodism is characterized by peace, order, mutual respect, and Christian fellowship and is void of violent behavior. He thanked all participants for demonstrating these values throughout the Special Called Session and for contributing to its peaceful conclusion.
The election marks an important step in the Liberia Annual Conference’s preparation for participation in the decision-making bodies of The United Methodist Church at both the regional and global levels.
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