Mr. Donald Evans:

We have been informed that the College of Bishops of the South Central Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church has rendered a “legal interpretation” of the action of the Mission Council.

This interpretation affirms that the Mission Council, a body of the South Central Jurisdiction, has the right to approve the lease of the property owned by the South Central Jurisdiction for the building of the George W. Bush library and think tank institute at SMU.

This letter is written to assert our belief that the College of Bishops does not have the authority to make such an interpretation according to the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church.Division Four, Paragraph 56, Article II, 4. (Page 38) of the Constitution of the United Methodist Church states: “The Judicial Council shall have authority to hear and determine the legality of any action taken therein by any jurisdictional conference board or body.”

Since the interpretation of the Mission Council action (a body of the jurisdictional conference) may be appealed by one third of the members of the Jurisdictional Conference (note Par. 56, Article II, 4.), this letter is also to inform you of our intention, as delegates of the South Central Jurisdictional Conference, to offer a motion to the Jurisdictional Conference meeting in July 2008 that an appeal for an interpretation be made to the Judicial Council of The United Methodist Church.

We believe that any signed lease between SMU and the George W. Bush Library Foundation substantiated by a violation of the legal processes of The United Methodist Church (as defined in its Discipline) prior to this Judicial appeal and interpretation, is an ill-advised action that breaches the laws, rules, regulations and tradition of our church.