2021 Appointments
Bishop Tracy S. Malone announces the following 2021 clergy appointments and/or changes of status. Appointments are effective July 1, 2021 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 |
| Gail Angel | Fredericktown UMC | TR | |
| Kelly Brown | District Superintendent | TR | |
| Edward Fashbaugh, II | Director of Connectional Ministries | ||
| Mike Grant | Louisville Christ UMC | TW | |
| Angela Lewis | District Superintendent | CN | |
| Ed Peterson | Assistant to the Bishop | ||
| Scott Walsh | Shreve UMC | CN | |
| Laura White | District Superintendent | SH | |
| Beth Wilterdink | Mayfield UMC | WR | |
| Jim Winkler | Painesville UMC | WR |
Visit the 2021 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.
Teach • Reach • Bless
Campaign Reaches $1.5 Million Commitment Goal; 34% Collected
One year after the January 26, 2020 public launch of the Teach • Reach • Bless campaign to build a dormitory for female students on the campus of Africa University the $1.5 million commitment goal has been met.
“I am joyfully overwhelmed by the Conference-wide support for building a dormitory for women at Africa University, providing female students a safe environment and community while pursuing their education. To each person and each congregation that has made a financial commitment to our Teach • Reach • Bless campaign, I say, ‘thank you!’ Your generosity will change lives,” said Bishop Tracy S. Malone.
To date, $516,097.52 of the committed $1.5 million has been collected. The new dorm will make it possible for more female students to live on campus, reducing the number who have to commute from remote areas and find affordable off-campus housing which puts them at high risk for living in and being subjected to untenable situations.
Learn more and support the Teach • Reach • Bless campaign.
Challenge Gift to Accelerate Collection of Campaign Commitments
The Rev. Bill and Marty McFadden have offered a generous challenge gift of up to $250,000 to accelerate collection of the nearly $1 million still needed before ground can be broken on campus and building can begin on the new dormitory. The Teach • Reach • Bless campaign will receive from the McFaddens $1 for every $3 donated from any source during the 2021 calendar year.
“Marty and I are passionate about getting the dorm at AU built soon. We know that making a place for 90 women will result in a safe and transforming experience for them over the years. We have been thrilled to hear stories of women from all over sub-Sahara Africa who found at AU a future that otherwise would have been denied them. Graduates of AU are making an incredible impact in Africa and around the world,” said the Rev. Bill McFadden.
“I celebrate the generous challenge gift offered by Rev. Bill and Marty McFadden. Their gift could make it possible to break ground for the new dormitory early next year. For that to happen I ask that we each prayerfully consider how we can fulfill our individual commitments by sending in our donations this year,” said Malone. “If you haven’t made a commitment, it’s not too late to contribute to the campaign. Every $3 contributed in 2021 will become $4. Each donation matters. Together we can make this dream a reality!”
Read the challenge gift release in its entirety and learn how you can support the campaign.
Resources
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccine Fact Sheet
One of the many resources on the coronavirus (COVID-19) page of the Conference website is a link to the Ohio Department of Health website. That site now includes a COVID-19 vaccine fact sheet that explains the phased approach for distributing the vaccine. It also has a searchable database of COVID-19 vaccine providers.
“I encourage all church folks to publicly share your witness by getting the vaccine and letting others know of your experience,” said EOC Director of Connectional Ministries the Rev. Steven Court.
View the coronavirus (COVID-19) resource page on the EOC website.
Missions
Mission Leaders Virtual Zoom Seminar – February 25
If you are a mission team leader – or if you want to lead a future mission team – this conversation from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. on February 25 is for you! In this season of dis-ease caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, racism, political division, truth telling, fear, and violence, you are invited to an important conversation to discuss racism in the mission field.
Learn more about the heart of this scheduled conversation.
Rev. Kathy Dickriede, director of Missions & Community Outreach, will lead the virtual Mission Team Leader meeting on Zoom. While it’s not required to participate in the meeting, Kathy recommends the reading of White Too Long a provocative book by Robert P. Jones that draws on history, public opinion surveys, and personal experience to examine the unholy relationship between American Christianity and white supremacy. The book issues an urgent call for white Christians to reckon with this legacy for the sake of themselves and the nation.
E-mail the Rev. Kathy Dickriede to receive the Zoom link and join the Feb. 25 conversation.
North Coast of Haiti Mission
The North Coast of Haiti Mission is an education-focused mission ministry that is one of our East Ohio Conference Advance Specials. Its vision is to improve education in all of the Methodist schools within the Cap-Haitien Circuit. The mission’s close relationship with the students and staff members at one of these schools in Dondon led the team to identify the need for clean and readily available water. E-mail Walt Merrill for more information about the mission and to learn how you can visit Haiti and help to educate and change the lives of young Haitians forever.
Learn more about North Coast of Haiti Mission.
Learn more about EOC Advance Specials.
Multicultural Vitality
Black History Month: Stories of EOC Black Clergy in Ministry
The stories of East Ohio Conference Black clergy will be featured in February on the homepage of the Conference website during Black History Month. Multiple new stories will be posted each Monday of the month. Posted with each video story will be questions to be answered by individuals or by the members of groups that may choose to view the stories together.
“This project was a collaborative idea that really stemmed from a video that the Rev. Dawan Buie posted on Facebook where he shared honestly and was vulnerable regarding his reactions to racism and the killings of George Floyd and others,” said Will Jones, EOC director of Multicultural Vitality. “By sharing his response on the clergy collaborative Facebook page, Rev. Buie offered a learning moment for his friends and colleagues. Giving our Black clergy the opportunity to share their stories and experiences with the Conference is a way to educate colleagues and even friends about experiences that Black clergy in our Conference have had that they may not be aware of.”
The project was produced by the Black Pastors Fellowship and the EOC office of Multicultural Vitality.
Commission On the Status and Role of Women (COSROW)
Celebrate National Women’s History Month in March
The theme for this year’s National Women’s History Month captures the spirit of our challenging times. Since most 2020 women’s suffrage centennial celebrations were curtailed, the National Women’s History Alliance is extending the annual theme for 2021 to “Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to Be Silenced.”
EOC COSROW offers these celebrative ideas: Designate a Sunday in March to celebrate Women’s history being intentional about using gender neutral language for God and asking people to wear white, the color of the suffragists; focus on famous women such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Ida B. Wells, Alice Paul, and others; read in various voices the Declaration of Sentiments, signed at the 1848 women’s rights convention; host a book study of Breaking Through the Stained Glass Ceiling, or The Leading Women: Stories of the First Women Bishops of The United Methodist Church or Enduring Grace: Living Portraits of Seven Women Mystics; or create an event of your own. On behalf of COSROW of the EOC, the Rev. Lenore Robinson will be happy to help your church design a service or a resource. E-mail Lenore.
Learn more about Women’s History Month.
Learn more about women in UMC history.
Young People’s Ministries
Book Club sponsored by the Youth Leaders Network
If you lead young people or are a pastor or church leader, you can benefit from these books and discussions. If you do not have time to read, still join us for the discussions the last Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday of each month. This week we are kicking off with the book “Youth Ministry In This Season of Disruption” by Mark Oestreicher.
View list of books and the Zoom discussion links.
Practically Honest Podcast and Blog
This week features the youth ministry guru, speaker and author, Mark Oestreicher as we discuss his book, “Youth Ministry In This Season of Disruption” that we are discussing in our book club this month (see above).
Read the blog for questions to use in your own book club.
Clergy
Toward Healing the Harm Training – March 8
If you’ve experienced sexual comments or advances, personal comments on your ability, age, gender, or character, questioning about your authority as a clergyperson, or an unsupportive workplace related to harassment, then you’ll want to participate in this groundbreaking event where you will understand the personal and communal harm that occurs with harassment or abuse, acquire skills to address the body’s fight, flight, or freeze response to prevent future occurrences, develop a pathway to begin or continue the healing process, and experience the power of institutional apology and care.
EOC clergy will gather via Zoom from 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on March 8 for this one-day training event sponsored by the Bishop’s office, the Board of Ministry, and the Commission On the Status and Role Of Women. The speaker for the day is Ms. Rhonda Johnston, M. Div., a licensed professional clinical counselor who has worked extensively with survivors of trauma, providing practical tools and guiding them to a pathway to heal. Those who have been harmed, as well as their allies, are invited to attend. Although the day will use clergywomen’s experience as the particular lens, the training will apply to a variety of situations and contexts in which all clergy might find themselves.
You are highly encouraged to participate in the webinar with a friend or small group for support in processing throughout the day. If you would like help connecting with someone for the day, please indicate that on your registration. If you have questions about the event, please e-mail either the Rev. Lenore Robinson, the Rev. Heidi Welch, or the Rev Abby Auman.
Learn more and register. Registration deadline is February 22.
Christian Family Credit Union
Scholarship Opportunity
We are excited to announce that the Christian Family Credit Union has scholarship opportunities available to members. In order to participate in this scholarship competition, members must complete the scholarship application and their application packet must be postmarked by February 12 – so please act quickly. Applicants may be anyone who is obtaining an Associate degree or a Bachelor’s degree and is a primary member of Christian Family Credit Union. Please call the credit union’s toll-free number, (888) 651-0971 for a scholarship application.
Should you have high school seniors or current college students who would like to apply for the scholarship, but have not joined the Christian Family Credit Union, it is not too late. Please call the office to get more information on membership.
Media Center
The Media Center has recently acquired the following resources:
- Seven Words; Listening to Christ from the Cross looks at the seven last words of Christ on the cross through a lens that finds life and hope in his final sayings, while exploring each from a biblical and historical perspective.
- Words of Life; Jesus and the Promise of the Ten Commandments Today brings modern eyes to the most important set of ethics in history. Consider the commandments in their historical context, the meaning of each commandment in Hebrew, how Jesus reinterpreted them, and how every thou-shalt-not was intended to point to a life-giving “thou shalt.”
- Better Decisions; Five Questions to Help You Make the Right Choice reveals five game-changing questions to ask every time you make a decision —questions that will help you in your finances, relationships, career, and more.
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.
Message in the Movies 
One Night in Miami
There are films that attempt to tell a true story. Other films are “based on a true story”. One Night in Miami is “inspired by a true story”.
The true story is that on one night in Miami – February 25, 1964 – following Cassius Clay’s victory in the boxing ring over Sonny Liston, Cassius Clay (Goree), Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), and Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) spent a few hours together with Malcolm X (Ben-Adir) to celebrate.
What conversations took place between these four men is anyone’s guess, but playwright Kemp Powers created a play that not only respected and honored the contributions of each of these men but also pondered the significance of the moment.
Obituaries
Please pray for the families of:
- Francis E. Stultz, surviving spouse of the Rev. Valerie Stultz, died January 16.
- James E. Patterson, retired Local Pastor, died December 29, 2020.
- Gene R. Miller, retired Associate Member, died December 30, 2020.
View obituaries To submit the obituary of an EOC clergy, clergy spouse, or surviving spouse, family should contact Melissa McGee, Executive Secretary to the Bishop, by phone at (330) 499-3972 ext. 112 or via e-mail.
Classifieds
Details of listings may be found here.
Positions Available
- General Secretary – The General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR)
To submit a classified ad please e-mail swilliams@eocumc.com.
To Subscribe
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Deadline for submission is Thursday, Febuary 4, 2021. Send articles to swilliams@eocumc.com.
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