Ruben Saenz Jr. has been named the new president of the United Methodist Church Council of Bishops, succeeding Tracy S. Malone.
The leadership transition took place during the council’s spring meeting in Washington, D.C., where Saenz was formally installed. Malone concluded her term last Friday and will now continue to serve in an advisory capacity as the immediate past president.
In remarks delivered at the gathering, Saenz expressed appreciation for his predecessor and emphasized a commitment to the church’s mission.
“I am humbled to serve as president and deeply grateful for Bishop Malone’s faithful, visionary leadership,” said Saenz in a speech at the meeting. “Together, we will continue to lead a church that is alive in Christ, anchored in grace, and committed to justice, mercy, and joyful service.”
The meeting also included the installation of additional leadership within the council, reflecting a broader transition in its governing structure.
Mande Muyombo was installed as president-designate, while Lanette Plambeck assumed the role of secretary of the council.
Saenz currently serves as bishop of the UMC Horizon Texas Conference, a regional body established at the beginning of 2025 through the consolidation of three Texas-based conferences.
In a November 2023 video, Saenz, who helped lead the merger process, said the effort focused on “how to harness our resources to enhance and expand the Gospel of Christ in the United Methodist tradition.”
He also outlined several priorities for the newly unified conference, including efforts to “champion children and youth,” “multiply followers of Jesus,” “pursue and embrace diversity,” “maximize care and healing,” and “tell our United Methodist story.”
Before he was elected bishop, Saenz served as executive director of the Rio Texas Conference Mission Vitality Center, where he helped launch 11 new churches.
His pastoral experience includes serving congregations in Dallas and El Paso, as well as leading El Buen Pastor UMC in Edinburg, which is regarded as the largest Hispanic United Methodist congregation in the United States, according to his biography.
Saenz is an alumnus of Stephen F. Austin State University and the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University.
He has been married to his wife, Mayé, since 1981, and the couple has four children and 11 grandchildren.
