March 9, 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
Paige Boyer Andover UMC WR  
Layton Broome Hayesville & Lakefork UMCs MO  
Ashley McMillen Nellie Chapel, Warsaw, & New Guilford UMCs TR  
Joan Purnell Cortland UMC WR  
Don Upson Brimfield UMC CN  
Karen Upson Brimfield UMC CN  

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.

Annual Conference

AC 2020 – June 15-18 at Lakeside Chautauqua
Annual Conference 2020 continues our quadrennial theme Bearing Fruit that Lasts: Called, Committed, Connected. The focus on this year’s session is Connected. When we gather June 15-18 at Lakeside Chautauqua, 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.

Visit the Annual Conference 2020 website to:

  • view the service/celebration schedule,
  • see the list of special events,
  • learn about this year’s speakers,
  • see the livestream schedule,
  • download AC 2020 logos, and
  • much more.

Midwest Mission Distribution Truck
Collection trucks for Midwest Mission Distribution Center and Eastbrook Mission Barn will be parked in the South Gate Parking Lot off State Route 163. Donations will be accepted Sunday, June 14 from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Monday, June 15 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; and from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16.

View the list of needed supplies and learn how you can make financial contributions.

Young Adult Recharge House – June 14-18
Adults 35 years of age and younger are invited to 314 Third Street during breaks at Annual Conference to recharge … your devices, your body (coffee, water, and snacks provided), and your soul with free Wi-Fi. For those who cannot stay for the week, come and spend a day together with East Ohio Young Adults at Lakeside.

Learn more and register.

General Conference

Information Forum
The recording of our March 7 East Ohio Conference General Conference 2020 Information Forum is available for viewing and download. Hundreds attended the presentation at Garfield Memorial UMC or watched with others at one of the 16 EOC ministry sites that offered public viewings of the livestream. Nearly 1,000 more people watched online as members of the EOC delegation and Bishop Tracy S. Malone gave leadership to the forum that presented the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation.

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. When General Conference receives this recommendation and proposed legislation in May, delegates will be able to adopt it, modify it, or do something different.

View the EOC GC 2020 Information Forum FAQ.

View and download the EOC GC 2020 Information Forum.

Camps & Retreat Ministries

Camp Aldersgate Open House – March 28
Join us from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 for a chance to meet the staff and see all that Camp Aldersgate has to offer. Nestled amidst the hills on the shores of Leesville Lake, the beauty of the terrain at Camp Aldersgate is both awe-inspiring and humbling. The 1,000-acre lake provides ample room for campers and guests to explore on one of the camp’s canoes or on peddle, sail, or pontoon boats. Aldersgate’s waterfront includes a water trampoline, Jungle Jim, and splash mat. Site facilities include a tree house and cabins for summer use, and a beautiful, simple lodge and small retreat cottage for year-round use. Visit Camp Aldersgate online.

Camp Wanake Resurrection Egg Hunt & Camp Preview Day – April 4
On Saturday, April 4 from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. spend the afternoon at Wanake’s Resurrection Egg Hunt and Wanake Preview Day as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. It’s an egg hunt all over camp, complete with more than 2,000 Resurrection eggs, candy, and prize eggs. Bring a friend! Admission is FREE! For more information, visit Camp Wanake online or call (330) 756-2333.

Camp Asbury Open House – April 5
Lots of people say, “When I pull into Camp Asbury’s entrance, I feel like I’ve come home again.” Others say, “Camp Asbury is my home away from home.” Camp Asbury invites you to join us on Sunday, April 5 from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. to tour the facilities, meet and talk with current and past summer staff members, get information about our summer camp programs, and find out why people say Asbury feels like home. Visit Camp Asbury online.

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 fun activities. The beautiful campus of Malone University in Canton is the home of CYF (Christian Youth Fellowship). The gated community of Lakeside Chautauqua on the shore of Lake Erie is the long-standing place to gather for Lakeside Institute and ReachOut. Visit CYF, ReachOut, and Institute online.

Missions

UMVIM Journey to Guatemala – December 26, 2020 to January 2, 2021
An informational meeting is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on April 9 at Carrollton First UMC.

Team members on the mission journey to Guatemala will repair homes and participate in children’s programming in rural areas. Cost of the trip is approximately $2,500/person. Learn more about this journey by e-mailing team leaders the Rev. Kimberly Arbaugh and Doug Arbaugh.

UMVIM Team Leader Training – April 18
United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Team Leader training is a great way to connect with others who have a heart for missions and to learn best practices for leading a team in a mission field. You will also learn about the many resources and mission sites available through The United Methodist Church to lead a mission journey. EOC Coordinator of Missions and Community Engagement the Rev. Kathy Dickriede will lead the 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. training session on Saturday, April 18 at Mentor UMC.

Learn more and register.

Disaster Response

Responding to Recent Disasters
East Ohio Conference Disaster Response leadership is in ongoing communication with United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and the Tennessee Conference following the recent deadly storms in and around Nashville. As we pray for the people and the communities impacted by this disaster, and the dedicated men and women who are responding to it, we need to strive to respond in the proper way.

Do No Harm right now:

  • Do Not “self-deploy” into a region until invited.
  • Do Not send supplies and clothes.

Do Good right now:

  • Pray
  • Collect an offering or host a fundraiser in your local church.

Learn more – including how you can make a financial gift to help when disasters strike.

Pastoral Care

Stressed? Anxious? Overwhelmed?
“It’s not like there is a shortage of possible things to be concerned about lately,” Diane Moreno Zerby, LISW-S, interim director of the office of Pastoral Care, wrote in a new resource post on the office of Pastoral Care website. “For example, the outcomes from General Conference in May, the future of the churches you serve, the challenges of shepherding congregations through this process, you and your family’s future, the coronavirus and how that impacts your congregation, community and yourself, politics and it’s an election year, all of which may compound other issues you may already have had on your plate. Maintaining a calm and non-anxious presence can be a challenge.”

Praying During Times of Stress
Moreno Zerby has also posted another resource that includes multiple tools we can use to aid us in prayer. One such tool is walking a labyrinth.

“The labyrinth is a meditation device with a single winding path from the edge to the center. The same path is used to return to the outside. Combining a number of even older symbols, including the circle, spiral and meander, the labyrinth represents the journey inward to our own true selves and back out into the everyday world. It is a tool which can connect us to God,” she wrote.

The office of Pastoral Care invites you to walk a labyrinth at its office on Mondays from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. and Thursdays from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m., without needing an appointment. If those times are not convenient, please call the office at (330) 456-0486 to arrange a different time.

Learn more about the office of Pastoral Care.

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

Enterprise Promotion Until June 14
The United Methodist Financial Credit Union is partnering with Enterprise Car Sales to give our members a better vehicle-buying experience! Receive $400* when you purchase a vehicle with Enterprise and finance it through United Methodist Financial Credit Union from now through June 14, 2020. Contact one of our loan officers to discuss getting pre-approved today.

*Terms and Conditions. To receive the $400, you must purchase a vehicle with Enterprise Car Sales from February 14, 2020 through June 14, 2020, finance the vehicle with United Methodist Financial Credit Union, and make your first four payments on time. $200 will be placed in your Credit Union savings account within 30 days from the date of your purchase and an additional $200 if you make your first four payments on time. Borrowers who set up their loan payment by ACH will receive the $400 within 30 days of purchase.

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


The Invisible Man
In a beautifully composed and patiently paced opening scene, Cecilia (Moss) awakens in bed while her partner Adrian (Jackson-Cohen) continues to sleep. Carefully and quietly, Cecilia is planning her escape from Adrian’s luxurious home (and its downstairs laboratory). We don’t know much about their relationship, but something is clearly not working out; Cecilia needs a fresh start and escapes with the assistance of her sister Alice (Harriet Deer) to find refuge at the home of James, a longtime friend (and police officer) (Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter Sydney (Storm Reid). Cecilia is shaken and haunted by the trauma of her past, afraid to venture out into the world.

As Cecilia makes slow progress, she receives news from Adrian’s brother Tom (Michael Dorman) that Adrian has committed suicide and has made her a primary beneficiary in his will. This seems like good news, and Cecilia hopes to help Sydney finance her college education. But creepy things are happening around her; blankets are pulled off the bed and lights flash. Cecilia is convinced that there is an invisible presence in the house.

Read entire review.

Events: March 9 – March 22

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.)

Obituaries

Please pray for the families of:

  • Susan E. Brown, Elder in Full Connection, died February 21.

View obituaries

Classifieds

Details of listings may be found here.

Positions Available

  • Administrative Assistant – Fairhope UMC in Louisville
  • Office Administrator – Northampton UMC in Cuyahoga Falls

Items Wanted

  • Brother Intellifax 1360 Fax Machine along with 2 new ink cartridges for sale – Gay Street UMC
  • Spanish Bibles – Chippewa Church at the Lake UMC
  • Glass plates, cups, and small dishes – Kelloggsville UMC in Conneaut

To submit a classified ad please e-mail swilliams@eocumc.com.

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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, March 23, 2020.

Deadline for submission is Thursday, March 19. Send articles to swilliams@eocumc.com.