Two Superintendents to transition out from Cabinet

Dear partners in ministry,  

Recently, Rev. Judy L. Walker, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Superintendent, and Rev. Brenda K. Leigey, State College Superintendent, shared with me their intention to retire from active pastoral ministry. 

Rev. Judy Walker

Rev. Walker has served as a pastor in The United Methodist Church for 19 years. During her six-years as a Superintendent assigned to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre District, Rev. Walker has been passionate about parish ministry, especially with small churches. She has faithfully lived her commitment to helping local churches thrive and continue to be in mission and ministry. Rev. Walker served faithfully as the Cabinet Secretary. In 2023-2024, Rev. Walker offered critical leadership engaging pastors and congregations discerning whether to leave or stay in the United Methodist Church. Alongside a team, Rev. Walker helped congregations work through the disaffiliation process. Rev. Walker’s retirement is effective December 31, 2024.  

When Judy retires at end of 2024, she and her husband Dave are looking forward to living close and spending time with the children and grandchildren. 

Rev. Brenda Leigey 

Rev. Leigey has served as a pastor in The United Methodist Church for 35 years. She was appointed Conference Superintendent in 2019, and faithfully and with great commitment served in both the former Lewisburg and current State College district. Rev. Leigey has always shown a commitment to the local church, pastors and churches in the district she serves. She has been a tireless advocate for mission and ministry as well as working to help congregations reach new people. From the smallest, theologically conservative church to the reconciling congregation, Rev. Leigey has encouraged people to be committed United Methodists. Rev. Leigey’s retirement is effective June 30, 2025.  

When Brenda retires June 30, 2025, she is looking forward to spending time with her husband Allen. 

On behalf of the cabinet, I express our deepest gratitude to these two faithful servants for their adaptive leadership throughout the years, especially during their time serving in the cabinet. They have led with integrity, grace, passion, and resilience during an extended season of challenges, conflict, and uncertainty, being agents of hope for those they lead. I look forward to serving alongside them during their remaining time in the cabinet.  

In the coming weeks, I will share next steps regarding coverage for the Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre district after the New Year, and the discernment process for selecting the new superintendents. In the meantime, please join me in celebrating the ministry of Rev. Walker and Rev. Leigey and praying for them as they begin this important transition. 

Thank you for living the gospel, embodying God’s love with your neighbors, and nurturing disciples of Jesus Christ who share faith, love, mercy and justice everyday and everywhere.  

Together in the journey, 

Bishop Héctor A. Burgos-Núñez

Resident Bishop
Susquehanna & Upper New York Episcopal Area
The United Methodist Church

New Places - New People: Christ UMC, Mountain Top, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre District

Rev. Judy Walker, Conference Superintendent

Christ UMC in Mountain Top was formed by the union of two smaller churches in the Mountain Top area in 1960. The original building underwent an extensive expansion project in 1981 to support the growth of the congregation.

Their ancestor churches, the Mountaintop and Albert UMC congregations, were formed to offer Christ to the growing community on the mountain. Their union was strategic, focused on being better together at sharing Christ with their neighbors.

Today, Christ UMC continues to share the same calling in their community. 

Christ UMC offers several opportunities to connect with new people in new places:

Adventure Church gathers every Saturday morning for about an hour and a half hike in various locations across the area. They pause on the trail to read Scripture and pray together and continue in conversation as they hike. Four legged friends are invited to hike along as well! 

Pub Church meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month at the Mountaintop Pub and Eatery for fellowship and conversation and Scripture. 

Christ UMC also finds opportunities to intentionally connect with their online community through Living Room Church as those who attend live in the sanctuary and online are invited to interact with one another and the worship leader in the chat.

With a preference to see life unfold, Christ UMC is throwing away the molds and inviting each person to be the person they were meant to be...to be themselves.

In new places, new people come from all walks of life, and are drawn together in community by a new awareness of God’s love. New friends, new purpose, new life. 

The 2024 New Places/New People Award for the Scranton Wilkes-Barre District was presented to Rev. JP Bohanan and Christ United Methodist Church located in Mountain Top.

https://christonthemountaintop.org/

One Matters Award: Mehoopany UMC, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre District

Every year, Discipleship Ministries partners with annual conferences by offering the One Matters Award (OMA) to one eligible congregation at each annual conference. At the 2024 Susquehanna Annual Conference, the One Matters Award was given to one church in each of our districts.

This award has a strong focus on making disciples because, by integrating into the church body, the individual may experience the personal transformation to potentially engage in the church’s mission for the transformation of the world. While most Discipleship Ministries programs focus on existing members, OMA focuses on new members. After all, ONE Matters.

Rev. Judy Walker, Conference Superintendent

Mehoopany UMC is a three point charge along with Jenningsville and Forkston. After several years of receiving zero new members, Mehoopany UMC welcomed two new adult professing members, through baptism and profession of faith in 2024.

Pastor George Price had received an email from the Find-a-Church site (a good reason to keep information updated!) that informed him of a couple seeking information. He contacted them quickly to find out their needs. They told him they were very new in their faith. They were new to the area, and had made the decision to give their lives to Christ. They were very eager to learn about scripture and Jesus. 

Pastor George arranged a meeting with them to discuss the next steps. 

They shared that neither of them were from church-going families and they went only for special occasions. They were never baptized and they felt that it was essential for them to experience this since accepting Jesus Christ into their hearts. 

Their meeting was very informative and honest. In the past, they had experienced some people who went to churches who were not very Christ-like and they were unsure about going to church.

Pastor George spoke with them about baptism and acceptance into the family of God. 

He really wanted them to experience worship and expressed to them the need for a church family that could help them in their new found faith. He encouraged them to give it a try. 

He was very happy on Sunday morning to see them in worship. He met with them the next day to find out what they thought about their experience. 

They were very happy with how worship gave them a new opportunity to experience Christ. They were encouraged by the response of the congregation to welcome them, and it turns out that they knew a few people. “They told me that they felt like they found their home and were ready for baptism and wanted to join Mehoopany UMC,” recalled Price. Two weeks later they were baptized and became members. 

In his conversation about the church, they weren’t sure if they would commit to attending every Sunday. Pastor George and the congregation thank God that they have been faithfully attending every week and also helping at some events. Praise God for bringing them to Mehoopany. 

The 2024 One Matters Award for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre District was presented to Pastor George Price and Mehoopany United Methodist Church.

One Matters Award: Forty Fort UMC

Every year, Discipleship Ministries partners with annual conferences by offering the One Matters Award (OMA) to one eligible congregation at each annual conference. At the 2023 Susquehanna Annual Conference, the One Matters Award was given to one church in each of our districts.

This award has a strong focus on making disciples because, by integrating into the church body, the individual may experience the personal transformation to potentially engage in the church’s mission for the transformation of the world. While most Discipleship Ministries programs focus on existing members, OMA focuses on new members. After all, ONE Matters.

The following congregations received the One Matters Award in 2023: 

Altoona District

Cove Forge UMC, Williamsburg

Harrisburg District

Wesley UMC, Marysville

Lewisburg District

St. Pauls UMC, Berwick

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre District

Forty Fort UMC

State College District

Trinity UMC, Bellefonte

Williamsport District

State Road UMC, Cogan Station

York District

Barts-Centenary UMC, Littlestown

Rev. Judy Walker (right), Superintendent of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Area, presented the 2023 One Matters Award to Forty Fort UMC. Receiving the award were Lay Member Bill Davis (left) and Pastor Richard Bradshaw (center).

Rev. Judy Walker, Superintendent of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Area 

During the 2021 appointment season, Forty Fort United Methodist Church in the Scranton Wilkes-Barre District was appointed a new pastor, Pastor Richard Bradshaw, right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Once a busy church, Forty Fort UMC over the decades had experienced significant decline. During the spring and summer of 2021, the attendance was in the 60s weekly, with zero children. Many ministries and events had ceased, a scary new COVID surge had arrived, and the morale in regard to the future was tempered at best. Forty Fort UMC needed new life — something to give some hope, energy, and a new beginning. 

They also realized they needed to begin to work together — pastor, leadership and the congregation — to have a greater impact and to create a vision that would bring unity of purpose. They established a task force with the purpose of sharing ideas and seeking what moves the hearts of this congregation. The task force was supplied with information from the mission insight report, and prayerfully came to the decision that their vision would be to become “A community that reaches the community.” 

This simple vision, driven by a heart for their neighbors, has become fruitful. Forty Fort has seen measurable growth in numbers and excitement as they continue to follow Christ in word and deed. This goes beyond Sunday service and beyond their doors. Over the past year, they have had a number of outreaches, both individually and corporately, that continue to focus on their vision and have ongoing impact. 

Every opportunity for outreach meets a goal of showing love to their neighbors and intentional sharing of God’s Word with all those they meet. The ministerium and cluster are beginning to shake off the dust of “the same things we’ve always done” with dwindling numbers, and are working together, in connection, on future projects that share the gospel in new and meaningful ways.

Their vision this year is to have 100% of their membership involved in the mission and ministry of the church. They are also beginning the process of evaluating committees and looking to a future where everyone can be involved. Members who have held the positions for years will share their experience and knowledge with new members and build foundational strength. All of this enriches the church as they continue to reach the not-yet-churched and those lost in the margins.

Forty-Fort UMC is pleased to share that they are growing in faith and are part of the greater connectional mission to lead others into a beautiful relationship with Jesus Christ, resulting in “transformation in our world.”

In 2022, their weekly attendance averaged over 90 attendees (up from 60 in 2021) and went from zero professions of faith over at least the past 5 years to 20 professions of faith in 2022. They are excited that there is new life and a purpose in their congregation and a greater realization that everyone is loved, and every one matters.