Prelate in the American Methodist Episcopal Church elected by the General Conference. They are not bishops in the sense in which this name is used in the Catholic Church and Anglican, or Episcopalian, Church, but superintendents, sharing in common their jurisdiction without being confined to any diocese or district. For practical reasons the General Conference at its session every four years designates episcopal residences. Their duties being entirely executive, the bishops do much traveling to various churches, promoting temporal and spiritual interests. Between the bishops and other ministers there is no distinction of order.