February 10, 2020

EOC News

2020 Appointments

Bishop Tracy S. Malone announces the following 2020 clergy appointments and/or changes of status, effective 7/1/20 unless otherwise noted.

Districts: (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

Pastor Appointment District Effective
Pamela Buzalka Lodi UMC FL  
Kimberly Cheng Clinton UMC CN  
Jacob Heskett North Canton Faith UMC, Assoc. TW  

Visit the 2020 Appointments and Changes of Status page of the Conference website to read the Cabinet’s Core Values for Making Appointments and to see the lists of appointments, retirements, and those who are concluding their ministry.

General Conference 2020

General Conference 2020 Information Forum
Saturday, March 7 at 10:00 a.m. at Garfield Memorial UMC

You are encouraged to attend an informational forum on Saturday, March 7, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Garfield Memorial UMC in Pepper Pike. The Protocol of the Reconciliation and Grace through Separation will be presented at the forum. The Protocol is one of the major proposals to be acted upon at GC 2020, but it does not represent a final decision for a course of action for The United Methodist Church. The General Conference will receive this recommendation and proposed legislation in May and delegates will have the authority to adopt it, to modify it, or to do something different.

Members of the East Ohio General Conference delegation and Bishop Tracy S. Malone will give leadership to this forum.

The session will be live-streamed for congregations and communities that wish to watch together as a group for a shared time of learning.

East Ohio Conference Delegation to General Conference
Each of the 12 EOC delegates to the May 5-15 General Conference in Minneapolis, MN will serve on a legislative committee at the Conference. The delegates and the legislative committee on which they will serve are:

Clergy Delegates

  • Gary Henderson, General Administration
  • Andy Call, Higher Education/Superintendency
  • Dan Bryant, Ordained Ministry
  • Matthew Laferty, Faith and Order
  • Armando Arellano, Global Ministries
  • Benita Rollins, Church and Society 1

Lay Delegates

  • Jerry Rinehart, Finance Administration
  • Ellen Burrows, Conferences
  • Martha Banks, Church and Society 2
  • Betty Wilson, Judicial Administration
  • Bob Wagner, Discipleship
  • Holly Grant, Local Churches

Contact all members of the delegation via one e-mail address, eoc2020gcdelegation@eocumc.com.

Annual Conference 2020

June 15-18 at Lakeside Chautauqua
In the last year of our quadrennial theme Bearing Fruit that Lasts: Called, Committed, Connected we will underscore the importance of being connected to God and to our neighbors if we are to bear fruit by making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

On Monday, June 15, during afternoon business, we will recognize the 50th anniversary of the East Ohio Conference before closing the session at 4:15 p.m. with the Celebration of Retirement. At 7:00 p.m. that day, we will share together in conversation and fellowship at a Community Block Party. There will not be a Ministry Fair at this year’s Annual Conference.

Registration for Annual Conference 2020 will open on March 1. That same day the AC 2020 website will go live with this year’s schedule, speaker bios, and additional resources.

Submitting Resolutions
Resolutions are matters for consideration by the Annual Conference which are not motions for action or proper amendments to reports by Conference agencies, but which call for expression of opinion by the Annual Conference on issues of concern to the membership of the church and the general public. Resolutions may be submitted by any member of a United Methodist Church or an annual conference organization of the East Ohio Conference.

Guidelines for submitting resolutions.

Annual Conference 2021

AC 2021 to Meet Wednesday to Saturday
The days of the week on which Annual Conference meets will shift in 2021 when the 52nd session convenes in a new venue, the John S. Knight Center in downtown Akron. Annual Conference 2021 will begin on Wednesday, June 16 and conclude on Saturday, June 19.

The decision was made, to shift the days of the week that AC 2021 will meet, so that we can continue living into our East Ohio Conference vision of reaching new people. Replacing a weekday with a Saturday should make it possible for more people to have the time to represent their church, district, or the Conference as a member of Annual Conference.

The theme for Annual Conference 2021, the first of a new quadrennium, will be announced later this year.

Camps & Retreat Ministries

Thank You for being a Partner in Ministry
Partnership is a powerful word that describes Camping ministry. We are a partner along the journey of raising a generation of kids who have faith, who know Jesus, and who know themselves as beloved children of God. You play a vital role in making sure the children and youth of your congregation and neighborhood get to camp where they can have fun, make new friends, and explore their faith. Partner with us this summer in raising a generation of faith-full kids.

Download Summer Camp promotional resources.

CYF, ReachOut, and Lakeside Institute are for Youth
Each year, youth from around Ohio have the opportunity to gather at Malone University and Lakeside Chautauqua for great Christian community, in-depth Bible study, creative worship, mission projects, and lots of fun activities. The beautiful campus of Malone University, located in Canton, has been the home of CYF (Christian Youth Fellowship) for the last several years. Lakeside Chautauqua is a gated community on the Marblehead Peninsula on Lake Erie. It has been the long-standing place to gather for Lakeside Institute and ReachOut.

Learn more about CYF, ReachOut and Institute.

Congregational Vitality

Cross-Racial/Cross-Cultural Ministry Conference – April 17-19
The North Texas Conference Center for Leadership Development has partnered with Cowley Coaching to offer the Cross-Racial/Cross-Cultural Training Camp scheduled for April 17-19 intro Trophy Club, Texas. The mission of the training camp is to create and grow relationships between pastors, congregations, and conference staff connected by cross-racial/cross-cultural appointments.

Learn more and register.

Missions

Be a Summer Intern at The Nehemiah Mission of Cleveland
Are you ready for the best summer of your life? Apply for a summer internship at The Nehemiah Mission of Cleveland. We are now accepting applications for two summer intern positions.

Applicants must have completed at least one year of college with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or better. Applicants must have a valid driver’s license and be available from May 27- August 15. Summer interns reside at the mission and receive a cash stipend. For more information and/or to submit your resume, please send an email to nehmission@gmail.com.

Learn more about the Nehemiah Mission.

Mission Trips
Are you going on a mission trip this year? We’d love to hear about it. Do you want to serve on a mission team but don’t know where to start? We can help you with that, too. Visit the Conference Missions page for more information. If you’re already signed up to go on a trip with a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission-trained team leader, you may be eligible for a scholarship. Apply for a scholarship by the February 17 deadline. E-mail Kathy Dickriede with any questions.

Medical Mission Trip to Peru – July 6-17
A group of United Methodists are coming together to travel to Cusco, Peru on a medical mission trip to help the indigenous people of the Andes Mountains.

You can support the missionaries who are participating in the trip by purchasing a $10 ticket to enjoy an authentic Peruvian dinner at Mogadore UMC from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on February 22, and by buying a Peru 2020 t-shirt. The deadline to purchase a shirt is February 13. E-mail Carmen Kluth or Brenda Heminger with any questions and to purchase tickets for the dinner.

You can further support the trip through your prayers and/or donating any of the following items: vitamins for children and pregnant women, toothbrushes, “cheater” eye glasses, eyedrop bottles, feminine products, glucose meters, and fun items for children such as coloring books, crayons, pens, pencils, and small books.

General Commission on the Status and Role of Women

Clergy

Toward Healing the Harm – Clergy Event April 20
This one-day event will address healing from gender discrimination and sexual harassment. On Monday, April 20, a team of clergywomen from the Board of Ministry, Commission on the Status and Role of Women, and the Bishop’s office will present an event to help clergy understand our responses to harassment and discrimination and take another step towards healing in Christ. The event will include education, healing prayer, and practical tools. More details coming soon.

Spiritual Formation & Christian Education

Pray About Your “Why”
The Spiritual Formation Committee invites you to pray about your “why” this year. Why does following Jesus matter to you? Why do you go to church? Why be a disciple? Why do church and discipleship go together?

In upcoming E-News issues you’ll find prompts written by Spiritual Formation Committee members Carrie Antczak, Kathy Schmucker, Gary Jones, and Jim Lewis to help you dig deeper in prayer to fully understand your “why,” and you may be inspired to share your story and your “why” with others.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, our thoughts often turn to love. During this season of love designate some time to reflect on your relationship with God. What does it mean to know that you are God’s beloved child? Why does knowing you are deeply loved by God matter? Why does helping others know they are loved by God make a difference in the world?

If you have questions, want to share a prayer concern, or share an answered prayer, e-mail the Rev. Carrie Antczak.

Scholarships

Scholarships for United Methodist Students
If you are a United Methodist student attending a United Methodist higher education institution, now is the time to apply for a United Methodist Higher Education Foundation scholarship – but you need to apply by March 1.

Learn more and apply.

Visit the Scholarships page of the Conference website to learn about available scholarships, loans and grants.

Media Center

The Media Center recently acquired the following resources:

To reserve these or other resources, call the Media Center at (800) 831-3972 x139 or send an e-mail to sarnold@eocumc.com. Browse the resource catalog at www.rqmweb.com/eocumc.

Credit Union

North Canton Office Change of Hours
Effective February 6, on Thursdays only, the North Canton branch of the Credit Union will open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 4:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday hours remain the same as they have been.

President’s Day
On Monday, February 17, all offices of The United Methodist Financial Credit Union will be closed in observance of President’s Day. Members may view share account balances, transfer funds, and pay bills anytime through our website and mobile app.

Message in the MoviesMessage in the Movies banner (colorful film strip


1917
1917 is just the latest film to show us the pain and the insanity of the battlefield, in a way that is intentionally immersive. With their radio lines down, two young British soldiers are sent by their commanding officers to deliver a warning to a nearby company to cease troop movement; they are heading into a trap set up by the Germans that will likely cost hundreds of casualties. Corporal Schofield (MacKay) is first summoned for duty and then told to enlist the help of Corp. Blake (Chapman) (whose brother is in the endangered company). Their mission will take them through the trenches, into No Man’s Land, and beyond.

What makes this movie unique is its design as a two-hour continuous tracking shot. As Schofield and Blake talk to each other, receive their orders and go about their mission, the audience is with them every step of the way, in real time, through the mud and the muck, over hills and dead bodies, in and out of danger, one moment of danger followed by a moment of respite and then another challenge.

Read entire review.

Events: February 10 – February 23

Click to view East Ohio Conference Calendar

(The East Ohio Conference only accepts East Ohio United Methodist local church, conference and general UM events for listing on the Conference calendar.)

Classifieds

Details of listings may be found here.

Positions Available

  • Connections Staff Member – Columbus Ave. UMC in Sandusky
  • Organist/Accompanist/Bell Choir Director – First UMC in Massillon
  • Church Organist – Christ Woodland UMC in Akron
  • Administrative Assistant – North Canton Faith UMC
  • Church Journalist/Communications Coordinator – North Canton Faith UMC

Items Wanted

  • 1989 Methodist Hymnals (will be sent to Methodist Churches in the Philippines) – East Shore UMC, Armando Arellano

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

To Subscribe

To subscribe to E-News and all East Ohio Conference news updates, enter your email address in the “Follow News via Email” widget on the right sidebar. Information from this E-News may be copied and used in your local church. The next scheduled edition of the E-News is Monday, February 24, 2020.

Deadline for submission is Thursday, February 20. Send articles to swilliams@eocumc.com.