Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth is pleased to announce that Teri Watanabe, a lay member from the Oregon-Idaho Conference, has been tapped to serve as a ministry consultant for the Greater Northwest Area of The United Methodist Church through the remainder of 2025.
Watanabe will contract with the Greater Northwest Area to support the Alaska Conference Vitality Team, Oregon-Idaho Conference Congregational Development Team and Pacific Northwest Conference Board of Congregational Development, as each board supports already funded Innovation Vitality ministry projects within its respective conference.
“Teri brings knowledge of the Greater Northwest Area’s culture, priorities, and potential,” Bridgeforth said. “Her understanding of systems and project management will help us navigate this interim period.”
Watanabe, who lives in the Eugene, Oregon, area, has served as a lay member of the Oregon-Idaho Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and spent nine years assisting with the development of a new, more inclusive candidacy process for clergy within the conference.
“Part of the gifts that I bring are around aligning the mission and vision of the conference, boards, projects, and local churches,” Watanabe said.
She currently serves on the Oregon-Idaho Conference’s Board of Lay Ministry and is a certified lay minister. Over the years, she has served as a transition consultant and has been contracted by various congregations and ministries to support their visioning work.
“I know our processes and systems, and I’m also a change agent for our processes and systems,” Watanabe said.
As a consultant, Watanabe will function differently than other staff throughout the GNW Area.
“Teri’s work as a consultant differs from what we would ask of a staff person. She has specific deliverables that relate to the entity in each conference that supports or funds new and innovative ministries,” Bridgeforth said. “Much of what she will accomplish is related to maintaining what remains while each conference determines how congregational ministries, whether new or ongoing, will receive support.”
Examples of those “deliverables” Bridgeforth mentioned:
- Watanabe will be expected to conduct a bi-monthly meeting with planters and innovators, review and compile data and conduct analyses, and review and finalize the process for proposing, approving, and funding vital ministry projects in collaboration with the three governing boards (mentioned above).
- As the ministry consultant, collaboration with each board and conference staff is expected to ensure effective communication and mutual understanding.
“I’m really excited about the chance to explore possibilities with the different boards with an area-wide perspective,” Watanabe said.
