Cynthia Fierro Harvey Elected Bishop of The United Methodist Church After Fifth Ballot
The Rev. Cynthia Fierro Harvey, who heads the United Methodist Committee on Relief, the denomination’s relief agency, has been elected as a United Methodist bishop by delegates at the South Central Jurisdictional Conference.Harvey was elected on the fifth ballot with 165 votes – this vote needed a minimum of 144 votes to elect.
Harvey was the first bishop elected by the 256 delegates, an equal number of United Methodist clergy and laity, from the eight states that form the South Central Jurisdiction. The assignments of bishops in the South Central Jurisdiction for the next four years will be announced later in the week. Herfour-year term of service begins Sept. 1.
Harvey (pictured in photo below receiving congratulations from members of her delegation) was endorsed for the episcopacy by endorsed 
by the Jurisdictional Conference Women’s Leadership Team and affirmed by MARCHA (Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans), the denomination’s Hispanic caucus. She also was endorsed by the Nebraska Annual (regional) Conference delegation.
by the Jurisdictional Conference Women’s Leadership Team and affirmed by MARCHA (Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans), the denomination’s Hispanic caucus. She also was endorsed by the Nebraska Annual (regional) Conference delegation.Before leading UMCOR, she previously was the director of missional excellence for the Texas Annual (regional) Conference. In that role, she initiated a partnership with the Côte d’Ivoire Annual Conference.
She also has previously served as executive associate pastor of Memorial Drive United Methodist Church in Houston and associate pastor of Foundry United Methodist Church in Houston. She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology.
Rev. Harvey will be consecrated as bishop during a consecration service to be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 21, at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. The ceremony can be watched live at the South Central Jurisdiction’s website.