Theologically the answer to this question is Jesus Christ.
Across the globe there are several Methodist Churches (denominations). The United Methodist Church, the largest, has no one person who is the leader of the church, like a Pope or Archbishop. Instead, the form of governance is more like the US federal government. It has Judiciary, a Legislative, and Executive bodies. However, the Executive is composed of all the active Bishops, not one President like in the U.S. Federal Government. Official policy is set every four years at the General Conference, a legislative body composed of representative delegates. Twice a year a nine-person Judicial Council meets to interpret questions of law brought before it (questions of policy and procedure, not of censure or discipline). The Episcopacy (the Executive body) is composed of all the active bishops. It does have a President, but this bishop does not act as the president of the denomination, only of the Council of Bishops.
In other churches, such as the Methodist Church of Great Brittan, they do elect a President every year. The current (2009) President of the Methodist Church of Great Brittan is The Reverend David Gamble. You can read more about this here: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.content&cmid=1567
Theologically the answer to this question is Jesus Christ.
There is no global leader of the Methodist church.
Across the globe there are several Methodist Churches (denominations). The United Methodist Church, the largest, has no one person who is the leader of the church, like a Pope or Archbishop. Instead, the form of governance is more like the US federal government. It has Judiciary, a Legislative, and Executive bodies. However, the Executive is composed of all the active Bishops, not one President like in the U.S. Federal Government. Official policy is set every four years at the General Conference, a legislative body composed of representative delegates. Twice a year a nine-person Judicial Council meets to interpret questions of law brought before it (questions of policy and procedure, not of censure or discipline). The Episcopacy (the Executive body) is composed of all the active bishops. It does have a President, but this bishop does not act as the president of the denomination, only of the Council of Bishops.
In other churches, such as the Methodist Church of Great Brittan, they do elect a President every year. The current (2009) President of the Methodist Church of Great Brittan is The Reverend David Gamble. You can read more about this here: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.content&cmid=1567
The head of a Methodist congregation is its pastor, who is an ordained clergyman or clergywoman.
The head of an annual conference (or region) is its bishop.
The leadership of the denomination is the council of bishops.
Rev John Barns
The United Methodist Church has no single central office and no pope. This is deliberate on their part. The structure of the Methodist Church is often compared to that of the United States. The church has a General Conference (its legislative branch), a Council of Bishops (sort of like an executive branch), and a nine-member Judicial Council (the judicial branch). The General Conference is the body that speaks for the church.
who is the international leader of
methodist
Bishop
United Methodist Church United Methodist Church United Methodist Church
Methodist Episcopal Church was created in 1784.
A methodist Church, St Nicholas' Methodist Church
Washington Methodist Church was created in 1828.
There are several mergers in the history of The United Methodist Church. However, the most recent merger was in 1968, which joined the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Bretheren into The United Methodist Church. The other well known merger occurred in 1939 when the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South reunited to become The Methodist Church. The previous split had occurred in 1844 over a dispute about slavery.
Gilboa Methodist Church was created in 1879.
Canastota Methodist Church was created in 1909.
Shiloh Methodist Church was created in 1825.
Simpsonville Methodist Church was created in 1876.
Decatur Methodist Church was created in 1859.
Tabernacle Methodist Church was created in 1857.
Vernon Methodist Church was created in 1892.