March 22, 2021

EOC News

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
Diane Bell Sandusky Trinity & Milan Edison Memorial UMCs FL  
Kristen Buchs New London & Clarkfield UMCs FL  
Rick Burkhardt Easton Chapel UMC TW  
Lisa Courtwright East Fairfield First & New Springfield Trinity UMCs MV  
Ron Dixon Edison & Iberia UMCs MO  
Lori Douglas Weaver Savannah & Olivesburg UMCs MO  
Kurt Landerholm Malvern UMC TW  
Matthew Wald Strasburg & Dundee UMCs TW  

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

Your Donation Can Change a Life
Each new donation – and each payment of a commitment – to The Teach • Reach • Bless campaign moves the East Ohio Conference one step closer to collecting the needed $1.5 million dollars to build and furnish a residence hall for female students at Africa University. Increasing enrollment at Africa University and a lack of on-campus housing means that some students commute from remote areas and find affordable off-campus housing, putting female students at risk of living in and being subjected to untenable situations. By building a new residence hall to house 90 students, the East Ohio Conference can improve the education and wellness of women today for a better Africa tomorrow.

Ground cannot be broken for construction of the new residence hall until the entire $1.5 million needed to build and furnish the residence hall is collected and sent to Africa University. Currently, $857,789.27 needs to be collected to reach the campaign goal. A challenge gift from Rev. Bill & Marty McFadden will add $1 to every $3 collected in 2021. As of the end of February, $88,884.71 had been collected in 2021. The challenge gift will add $29,628.24 to that total. Together, we can reach the goal of collecting $1.5 million by the end of 2021. If you made a financial commitment to the campaign, you are asked to prayerfully consider paying the commitment in full by the end of 2021, if possible. If you have not yet made a financial commitment to the campaign, you are invited to make a financial donation during 2021.

Make a financial donation to the Teach • Reach • Bless campaign.

View the lists of campaign donors.

Stand Against Racism

Critical Conversations With Laity – April 10
All laity of the East Ohio Conference are invited to join the Board of Laity and lay persons serving in Conference leadership to participate in the virtual “Critical Conversations with Laity: A Step Towards Standing Against Racism” learning event on Saturday, April 10.

The webinar that day will be similar in content to the critical conversations event that EOC clergy participated in last fall. Rev. Dr. Michelle Ledder from the General Commission on Religion & Race will give a presentation and will answer questions during the webinar, which will also feature several EOC lay persons sharing from their perspectives.

This is an opportunity to discern and learn together and to intentionally listen to the Holy Spirit’s call upon our lives to do the work of dismantling racism. We will hear the voices and experiences of persons of color. We will learn together how this anti-racism work is biblically and theologically grounded and is foundational to what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. The webinar will teach terminology and how it applies to our personal lives and to our ministry contexts.

There is no cost to participate in the April 10 critical conversations with laity event, but you do need to register online in advance. Learn more and register.

Multicultural Vitality

Native American Ministry Sunday – April 18
Churches are encouraged to observe Native American Ministry Sunday as a way to remind churches in East Ohio of the gifts and contributions made by Native Americans to our society. The Sunday serves to develop and strengthen Native American ministries in our annual conference and in Native American ministries throughout the connection. Here in East Ohio, the Board of Multicultural Vitality is charged with Native American awareness and hosts events like the blanket exercise that took place in May of 2019.

Download Native American Ministry Sunday resources.

Learn more about EOC Native American Awareness.

Young People’s Ministries

Reframing the Future: A Small Group Coaching Cohort
Reframing the Future: A Small Group Coaching Cohort for those who lead young people will begin after Easter. This cohort will support leaders as we rethink, refocus, reimagine and relaunch ministry coming out of the pandemic. There are four small group coaching times and three one-on-one coaching. This free opportunity is for paid staff, volunteers, teams, and pastors in conjunction with the Holston Conference and the South Carolina Conference.

Learn more and register.

April Book Club
For those who work and live with young people, the April book club book is Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer.

Check out the Zoom book club times.

Camps & Retreat Ministries

Wanake Resurrection Egg Hunt – April 10
Are you ready for springtime adventure? Are you dreaming of warmer weather? Are you ready to shake off that cabin fever? Then come to Camp Wanake from 2:00-6:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 10 for a free, fun, family event – the Resurrection Egg Hunt!

Get ready because this isn’t your ordinary egg hunt. All new this year, we will travel down the bunny trails at Camp Wanake. While on the trail your family will work together to spot eggs. Each egg you find will “tell” a story – the story of the resurrection of Jesus Christ!  There will be plenty of treats, door prizes, and goodies. Best of all, this is a free event!!

Families with kids of all ages are invited. We will have four different trails varying in difficulty. Please note if you plan to take a stroller on the trail, we will have a trail better suited, however there will still be some terrain. Camp Wanake will be following COVID guidelines and will require social distancing from other families and wearing masks while indoors.

Are you interested in coming to Summer Camp? We will offer tours of our site and giving away two $100 camperships! We can’t wait to see you at Camp Wanake on Saturday, April 10.

Work Days at Wanake
Camp Wanake has the following work day dates on the calendar. This spring there is a lot of work that needs to be done to prepare the site for guests and campers. We are looking for groups and individuals with willing hearts and all skill sets. Projects include trail work, carpentry, and general cleanup. If you are skilled in an area please let us know. Lunch will be provided to all volunteers.

  • Saturday, March 20
  • Saturday, April 10 – Resurrection Egg Hunt
  • Saturday, April 24
  • Saturday, May 1

Tuesday, May 18 – Sunday, May 23 is Wanake Alumni Work Week/Weekend.

Please contact our Site Manager Justin Miller to RSVP and talk about specific projects. Call Justin at (330) 756-2333 Ext. 106 or e-mail Justin Miller.

Missions

Cambodia Virtual Mission Journey Starting April 17
In 2019, a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) team including Bishop Tracy S. Malone journeyed to Cambodia to strengthen the East Ohio connection with The United Methodist Church of Cambodia and the missionaries serving there. Help us strengthen and maintain that connection by participating in the upcoming virtual journey there. Mission days are Saturday April 17, Saturday, April 24 and Saturday, May 1 from 8:30-10:00 a.m. each day. The team leaders are Kay Martin and Rev. Nathan Howe. There is no cost to participate in the virtual mission journey, but registration is required. E-mail Westlake UMC with any questions. Learn more and register.

UMVIM Team Leader Training – May 1
On Saturday, May 1, Director of Missions & Community Engagement the Rev. Kathy Dickriede will lead an in-person UMVIM team leader training at Nehemiah Mission in Cleveland. The training is free, but registration is required. In order to observe social distancing recommendations, training is limited to 10 people, so sign up soon. Learn more and register.

UMCOR Kit Collection in East Ohio – June 7-13
East Ohio Missions asks all pastors, congregations and faith communities to begin collecting items for Midwest Mission Distribution Center (MMDC). Since Annual Conference is virtual this year, we will arrange for collection points around East Ohio where MMDC will drive through and pick up your donations. Learn more about needed items. The locations of collection sites will be announced no later than May 1.

Missions 5K Run/1-Mile Walk – June 19
This year’s annual Missions 5K run/1-Mile walk will be virtual on Saturday, June 19. Participate wherever you are, make it a fundraiser for the mission of your choice, and share on social media using #EOCMissions5K. Learn more.

Financial & Administrative Services

Wespath EY Webinar for Clergy & Laity – March 26
East Ohio Conference laity and clergy can register now to take part in a Wespath/EY webinar titled “Social Security/Financial Planning/Estate Planning 101.” The webinar designed to help participants achieve financial wellness is planned for 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 26.

The workshop webinar will explore:

  • Many aspects of Social Security benefits including utilizing Social Security as retirement planning and reviewing a six-step process for achieving your retirement goals;
  • How you can determine your current financial health, develop a plan to get on track for retirement, and learn how to use Wespath benefits to help achieve your financial goals; and
  • what an estate encompasses, the pros and cons of probate, the role of trusts, important estate documents, estate taxation, tools to reduce estate taxes, and resources available to assist you.

Learn more and register.

Credit Union

Home Equity Loans
Christian Family Credit Union’s home equity line of credit (HELOC) allows members the ability to leverage the equity in their homes to fund a variety of needs. Home repairs, debt consolidation, adoptions, and more. Our loan officers are ready to help. Call the North Canton office at (888) 651-0971.

Good Friday Closing
All offices of Christian Family Credit Union will be closed on Friday, April 2 in observance of Good Friday. Members may view share account balances, transfer funds, and pay bills any time by using our home banking site: www.christianfamilycu.com.

Media Center

The Media Center has 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.

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


Promising Young Woman
This is the first feature film from director Emerald Fennell (who also scripted) and it is a bold and often entertaining movie, centered on a great performance from Carey Mulligan, who usually plays gentle and reserved characters (The Dig, Far from the Madding Crowd). Cassie is complex and prone to mood swings; she is also able to create a variety of characters in which to enact her revenge upon dozens of men (and she has a notebook in which to keep score).

One day Cassie is approached by Ryan (Burnham), a classmate from medical school who is now a pediatrician. He is quite smitten with Cassie and is willing to court her, in spite of her initial resistance. While their relationship develops in a relaxed and mutually satisfying way, Cassie still finds herself out on the prowl at night.

Read entire review.

Obituaries

Please pray for the families of:

  • Patricia G. Allen-Lintela, retired Local Pastor, died March 11.

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

  • Office Administrator – Church Hill UMC
  • Director of Faith Friends Learning Center – North Canton Faith UMC
  • Two (2) Custodians – North Canton Faith UMC
  • Worship Leader – Heart 4 the City Mission Church
  • Office Manager – Brecksville UMC
  • Office and Digital Communications Coordinator – Granger UMC
  • Organist – Dueber UMC in Canton
  • Organist/Pianist – Chardon UMC
  • Worship Technology Leader – Strongsville UMC
  • Administrative Assistant – Shreve UMC

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

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Deadline for submission is Thursday, April 1, 2021. Send articles to swilliams@eocumc.com.