A Vision for the Future
Over the years, I’ve fallen in love with the United Methodist Church as I’ve witnessed God use the local church to touch and transform the lives so many different people. My ministry has been enriched by unforgettable moments of God’s grace at work in our world. I am who I am today because of the relationships I’ve formed with people who make up the beautiful tapestry that is the United Methodist Church.
As a local church pastor and District Superintendent, I’ve been able to meet leaders deeply engaged in their communities, making disciples and transforming lives through Christ. As your Bishop, I’d be committed to working alongside you to form passionate followers of Jesus and to building a church in which all are affirmed and can fully participate in the creation of a more just and equitable world. I’m hopeful that this church, formed out of the Wesleyan tradition, will be a place where all people belong.
My vision is for a fully inclusive church, led by lay and clergy who are culturally competent. What I mean by this is that the church would not discriminate between men and women, age, persons of color, theology, sexual orientation or gender identity and would work diligently towards cultural competency. Cultural competency is, I believe, the tool needed to help facilitate a vision of the United Methodist Church where there is deeper understanding of where people have come from, so that we can have a future together. Simply being aware of our cultural differences will lead to more adaptive relationships where we embrace and celebrate our differences, both in the United States and around the world.
Leaders in the church, who develop the skills of cultural competency, will pave a more effective pathway for living into the mission of the church, which is, “To Make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World.”
As the Convener of the Methodist Federation for Social Action, West Ohio Chapter, it is a personal pleasure, on behalf of the Chapter, to endorse the episcopal candidacy of the Rev. Dr. Todd Anderson. Many have witnessed Todd’s desire to share the good news of Jesus Christ and lead in the Wesleyan tradition of personal piety, social holiness, and vital congregational life as he has served as a pastor and District Superintendent. He is guided by the Holy Spirit that drives an aspiration to see the church experience and share the love and grace of Christ, so that it can fulfill its mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The church is vital when it reaches new people for Christ, matures in knowledge and the practices of discipleship, and serves the economically poor, the socially vulnerable, and all others who have been marginalized a by the church and the world. Without reservation the MFSA West Ohio Chapter endorses Todd Anderson, a justice-seeking, person of faith whose call to work toward a more justice-filled church, nation and whose episcopal leadership could further this effort.
- Linda Young, Convener, Methodist Federation for Social Action, West Ohio Chapter
West Ohio United Women in Faith is proud to endorse the episcopal candidacy of Rev. Dr. Todd Anderson. Our longtime relationship has given us first-hand witness to Todd's dedication to the church and to the work of United Women in Faith. He lives out the core purpose and values of our organization: knowing God, appreciating the importance of community and fellowship, and understanding mission and global ministries. He is an impassioned advocate for those found on the margins and has stood with us in our work with women, children, and youth. Todd's continued leadership with the West Ohio Cooperative School of Christian Mission/Mission u, demonstrates his ability to bring together diverse groups with varied theological backgrounds uniting them around common goals of mission education and ministry. We know him to always bring a personal touch of compassion and joy in all that he does. The West Ohio United Women in Faith know Todd Anderson. We have seen him at work and we firmly believe that he is an episcopal leader “for such a time as this."
- West Ohio United Women in Faith
I’ve served with Rev. Todd Anderson for almost a decade. He has exhibited an innate ability to read a situation and develop a strategic path to lead through it. Todd is very focused on a Church that is more reflective of God’s kingdom. He’s a pastor, an includer with a vision for a big tent church where everyone can feel at home. His experience in the local church and his time as Dean of a Cabinet coupled with his extensive cultural competency training have equipped him to be highly adaptive to a variety of contexts. These traits and experiences have prepared Todd to lead the UMC into this next season of uncertainty.
- Brad Aycock, Director of the Office of Fresh Starts & New Beginnings, West Ohio Conference
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