My experience or your experience has nothing to do with it. The bishops wanted a new organization for the denomination. They didn’t get it. Why? Because they don’t have the authority.
Many pushed to have a presiding bishop created for the denomination. They didn’t get it. Why? Because they don’t have the authority.
It is a matter of what our rules say. They say that there is only one authority and that is the every 4 year General Conference.
I have been a fully ordained elder in the UMC since 1985, and prior to that an ordained deacon and probationary member and prior to that a licensed local pastor. My 30+ years of experience says that bishop’s power is only within their own conference. Within their own geographic region they call the shots. Beyond that they are well-heeled discussion groups.
Could all of the bishops get together and arbitrarily agree to, say, require everyone to wear red the first day of their annual conferences?
Yes.
But, (1) it still wouldn’t be denominational policy, and (2) they couldn’t enforce it.
I have been a fully ordained elder since 1972. I resigned from the denomination about the time you started, in 1985. Had my fill of the Bishop’s authority.