MARCH 5, 2018

EOC News

Appointments and Changes of Status

Appointments
Bishop Tracy S. Malone, in the past two weeks, has announced the following East Ohio Conference clergy appointments:

  • David Cann | Oberlin First UMC, FL
  • Ryan Cockrill | Gnadenhutten UMC, TW
  • Seth Filburn | Shadyside: Lincoln Avenue UMC, OV
  • Tina Gallaher | Cambridge First UMC, SH
  • Jim Jensen, Jr. | Attend School
  • Carl Kandel | Fohl Memorial UMC, TW
  • Derek Kubilus | Uniontown, CN
  • Kenneth Maylone III | Caldwell UMC, SH
  • Kelsey Orosan | Lorain Lighthouse UMC, Assoc. Pastor, FL
  • Luigi Perez | LaPorte UMC, FL
  • Tina Siroki | Trinity Perry Heights UMC, TW
  • Doug Winner | Jefferson UMC, WR

Retirements

  • James Roberson | retiring from Cory UMC, NC
Districts Key: (CN) Canal, (FL) Firelands, (MO) Mid-Ohio, (MV) Mahoning Valley,  (NC) North Coast,  (OV) Ohio Valley, (SH) Southern Hills, (TR) Three Rivers,  (TW) Tuscarawas,  (WR) Western Reserve

View the entire list of appointments and changes of status.

Clergy Executive Session

May 30
The Hoover-Price Campus Center on The University of Mount Union campus in Alliance is the host site for this year’s Clergy Executive Session.  All clergy are expected to participate in the day of strengthening our covenant together.  We will meet on May 30 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., during which time we will fellowship and worship together, conduct business, and share in a time of learning led by Dr. Alan Kolp.  You must register online in advance.  Register today.

Annual Conference

2018 Annual Conference Logo

June 11-14
The 49th session of Annual Conference is the second year of our quadrennial theme Bearing Fruit that Lasts: Called, Committed, Connected.  We will explore what it means to be called and equipped as followers of Jesus Christ when we gather June 11-14 at Lakeside Chautauqua.

The words of John 15:13-17 (CEB), the concluding verses of our quadrennial Scripture passage, John 15:1-17, will guide our worship services.  Rev. Kimberly Arbaugh (Ohio Valley District), the Rev. Chip Freed (North Coast District), and the Rev. Becky Weamer (Mid-Ohio District) are the morning preachers.

NOTE THE NEW TIMES this year for both the Service of Commemoration and Holy Communion (Mon., June 11 @ 10:00 a.m.) and the Service of Commissioning and Ordination (Wed., June 13 @ 4:30 p.m.). Bishop Malone is the preacher for each service.  She will also offer reflections at the Celebration of Retirement (Mon., June 11 @ 7:30 p.m.).

Annual Conference business sessions will reinforce our East Ohio Conference ministry vision.  Rev. Dr. Joseph W. Daniels, Jr. of the Baltimore-Washington Conference is the keynote speaker for our Shared Learning Session on Thursday, June 14.

Visit the Annual Conference 2018 website to register, view the block schedule, read speaker bios, review procedures for submitting Resolutions, and much more.

Communications

youth and leadership discuss at round tables

“We are the church of today,” Youth Tell EOC Delegates
Members of the delegation that will represent the East Ohio Conference at the Special Session of General Conference in February 2019 met recently with Conference Council on Youth Ministries (CCYM).

“We want our opinions to be heard but we also want to hear the views of members of the delegation so that we can have a healthy dialogue together,” said CCYM President Connor Prusha, a high school senior from Chardon UMC (Western Reserve District).

“It was great to meet with the youth.  I found those that I visited with to have a very strong grasp on the issues facing us in St. Louis and thoughtful opinions,” said Brian Sheetz, a General Conference delegate and member of Strongsville UMC (North Coast District).

“At my table the discussion didn’t focus as much on human sexuality as it did on the authenticity and capable leadership youth bring to all levels of church conversation,” said the Rev. Dan Bryant, senior pastor of Lakewood UMC (North Coast District) and a General Conference 2016 delegate. “If we, as the adults in the East Ohio Conference can lighten up our control and find avenues to have our youth both learn and teach us, then we will truly have a way forward that is transformative for all.”

Read the article in its entirety.

Young Adult Ministries

Join the March
A Letter from Kaye Wolfinger, director of East Ohio Young People’s Ministries

Dear Leaders,

CCYM had their Winter Meeting last weekend.  During that meeting, they spent a good amount of time discussing the current issues in our communities and country around suicide and school shootings.  They came to the conclusion through an unanimous vote to support the March for Our Lives on March 24.  This is a march in Cleveland and in Columbus.  These are to be peaceful marches to empower our teens to take a stand on safety in their schools.

On behalf of CCYM, I am inviting you to support this movement by praying, being present, encouraging others and organizing teens to join one of these marches.  Taking action for injustice is at the core of who we are as United Methodist, so this opportunity is a wonderful way for teens to learn first hand.

For more information on the movement check out the main website where you can read about what these teens are recommending.  You can also buy tshirts: https://www.marchforourlives.com/

For more information on individual marches, check out these Facebook links:

Find information on the UMC’s stance on gun control or mental health issues here.

Thank you for supporting and loving our teens.

The Office of Pastoral Care and Counseling

March 5, 2018 Resources
In this edition we address: Violence in our country, the ravages of chronic pain and what not to say in the face of calamity and fatal illness.

  • A Way Forward: Bishop Ough “On Changing our Minds”
  • The Way of Non-Violence
  • The Tao of Chronic Pain
  • Interview: Calming Chronic Pain
  • Interview: Cancer Patient’s Pain and Clarity of Living ‘Scan to Scan’
  • Book: Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I’ve Loved
  • Meditation: Reflecting on Our Stories
  • NPR Audio: The Science of Happiness in Life’s Everyday Joys
  • Ways Your Body Can Help Bolster Creativity
  • Awakening Love in Relationships
  • Spiritual Practice Groups and Listings of our Spiritual Directors

Contact Us
If you have any questions or issues you would like for us to address or if you would like to receive e-mail alerts when new resources have been posted, please contact Howard Humphress at hkhumphress@gmail.com or use our quick contact form.

United Methodist Financial Credit Union

Tax Deadline
April 17, 2018 is the Tax Deadline to make contributions to your Health Savings Account (HSA) and Individual Retirement Account (IRA) for the 2017 tax year. If you have questions or concerns please contact Kim McMillan in our Cincinnati office at (800) 373-1059 ext. 10. She will be happy to assist you with your needs!

Car Loans
The United Methodist Financial Credit Union has a variety of lending options to help you spring forward to your new vehicle. Our rates are great and our loan officers are ready to help! Start the process today by contacting one of our loan officers:

  • Christine Smith in Cincinnati (800) 373-1059 ext. 12;
  • Christine Fairhurst in North Canton (800) 831-3972 ext. 104;
  • Jason Fishburn in Indianapolis (317) 296-7177.

Media Center

The Media Center recently acquired the following resources:

To reserve these or other resources, call the Media Center at (800) 831-3972 x 139 or send an e-mail to sarnold@eocumc.com. Browse the resource catalog at www.rqmweb.com/eocumc

Message in the Movies

looking at the backs of five women with backpacksPhoto: 20th Centry Fox | Movie Review: Rev. Bruce Batchelor-Glader

Annihilation – Metaphysical science fiction has been around for a while, especially when an author can mix together the concept of a higher power with the idea of Earth being visited by another species. …  Annihilation, based loosely on the Nebula Award winning first book in The Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer, is writer-director Alex Garland’s second attempt at deep thinking science fiction, following 2014’s Ex Machina. Read entire review …

Events: March 6-19

Classifieds

Positions Available
Details of listings may be found here. 

  • Music Ministry Coordinator, Johnson UMC
  • Director of Discipleship, Richmond UMC
  • District Administration Assistant, Ohio Valley District
  • Crib Room Attendant, Tallmadge UMC
  • Youth Ministry Coordinator, Canfield UMC
  • Controller, West Ohio Conference
  • Conference Treasurer and Director of Administration, Alabama–West Florida Conference

To submit a classified ad please email sue@eocumc.com

Obituaries

Please pray for the families of:

  • Laura R. Huffman, surviving spouse of Rev. Aubrey Huffman, died February 17, 2018.
  • David J. West, associate member, died February 23, 2018.
  • Lois Irene Ulmer, surviving spouse of Rev. Charles Ulmer, died February 24, 2018.
  • Otis Dean Essex, Jr., retired elder, died February 25, 2018.
  • Howard E. Fox, retired elder, died February 27, 2018.

For full obituary notices.

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The next scheduled edition of the E-News is March 19, 2018.  Deadline for submission is March 14.