Update! Watch this interview with Bishop Jung and learn more about the new member of our family!
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung has been appointed for the next four years as Wisconsin's new United Methodist bishop. Bishop Jung is one of the newly appointed bishops for the North Central Jurisdiction (NCJ). These appointments were announced July 19th at the conference session in Akron, Ohio. Bishop Hee-Soo Jung was most recently the bishop for the Northern Illinois Conference (Chicago Area). Bishop Jung was elected by the North Central Jurisdictional Conference in 2004 and was assigned to the Chicago Episcopal Area. He has been instrumental in inspiring the Harvest 2020 movement in Northern Illinois, which resulted in nearly 30 new faith communities and 2,000 new worshippers since 2009.
He has served on the board of directors for the General Board of Discipleship, the UM National Hispanic Plan, General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, and the General Commission on United Methodist Men. Bishop Jung is currently assigned as a member of the board of directors for the General Board of Global Ministry, JustPeace, and UM Korean National Plan.
Previously, Bishop Jung served as an elder in the Wisconsin Conference, where he was a pastor and a district superintendent. Bishop Jung taught and chaired the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Kangnam University and Seminary in Kyungki-Do, South Korea. He has served as pastor of congregations in California, Texas and South Korea. He was responsible for establishing a new Korean congregation at University United Methodist Church in Madison, Wisconsin. Bishop Jung earned a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; an M.A. from the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, CA; an M.A. from the Dongguk University Graduate School in Seoul, South Korea; and a B.Th. from the Methodist Theological Seminary, in Seoul, South Korea. Bishop Jung's wife, Im-Hyon, is also an elder of the Wisconsin Conference and is currently serving as a regional coordinator of the Academy for Spiritual Formation at the Upper Room/the General Board of Discipleship. They are the parents of two college students, Jae-Hugh and Jae-Joon.
Bishop Jung spoke about his appointment. "I have spent different parts of my life and career in Wisconsin, and am truly blessed to have the opportunity to return to this wonderful state and serve the Wisconsin Conference. I am looking forward to meeting and working with Wisconsin United Methodists in the coming years." Retiring Wisconsin Conference Bishop Linda Lee, who will step down in September, reflected on her most recent role. "It has been an amazing opportunity to work with God and his people in the way that I have, and I wish Bishop Jung fruitfulness and success as he carries on his important work in the great state of Wisconsin." Click here for a photo of Bishop Jung. Click here for more photos from North Central Jurisdictional Conference.
Appointments to the Other North Central Jurisdiction Conferences include:
- Dakotas/Minnesota-Bishop Bruce Ough
- East Ohio-Bishop John Hopkins
- Illinois Great Rivers-Bishop Johnathon Keaton
- Indiana-Bishop Michael Coyner
- Iowa-Bishop Julius Calvin Trimble
- Northern Illinois-Bishop Sally Dyck
- Michigan Area-Bishop Deborah Lieder Keisey
- West Ohio-Bishop Gregory V. Palmer
Other NCJ information is available here. Read more about Jurisdictional Conferences here.
Author
Hee-Soo Jung
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung has served as resident bishop of the Wisconsin Annual Conference since September of 2012. Prior to leading the Wisconsin Conference UMC, Bishop Jung served eight years as bishop of the Northern Illinois Conference (Chicago area).