It is my joy to announce our new Director of Innovation and Communications, Rev. Dr. Cedrick Bridgeforth. Dr. Bridgeforth is well known to all of us in our annual conference, and he brings such great gifts and skill sets for this position.

He is the current pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Los Angeles and Director of Academic Programs and Outreach at the Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies at the University of La Verne. In addition to serving as the Head of Delegation (General/Jurisdictional) for the California-Pacific Annual Conference, he is the founder of 20/20 Leadership Lessons, Inc. He is a graduate of Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA (Doctor of Education, Organizational Leadership), Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA (Master of Divinity), and Samford University, Birmingham, AL (BA, Religion).

Cedrick was born in Decatur, Alabama, served four years in the United States Air Force, and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He is a past President of Black Methodist for Church Renewal and a former District Superintendent and Dean of Cabinet. During his tenure as District Superintendent, he was instrumental in leading the conference through district re-alignment, formation of mission areas, and elevating clergy-lay partnerships at every level of the conference.

The work Cedrick has done locally and nationally to raise the presence of the gifts of diverse communities, revitalize ministries and organizations with divergent strategies, and re-center purpose in places with dwindling resources will serve him and the conference well as we envision our future, align our messaging, and share more broadly a message of hope and vitality in all the places God calls us to serve.

Dr. Bridgeforth will assume his new position on July 1, 2021. We look forward to his faith and leadership!

Be the Hope,

Bishop Grant J. Hagiya
Los Angeles Area Resident Bishop