October 16, 2023

EOC News

#BeUMC

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Rev. Jon Priebe shares why he is United Methodist:

“I’m United Methodist because when things are not right, United Methodists show up,” he shared. “When things are not right Methodists do something about it. We do that today through UMCOR and through our Board of Global Missions and ways that we do good in the world. We find a way that we can show up and do the good that God has planned to do through us.”

Priebe is one of many East Ohio Conference clergy and laity sharing how their lives continue to be transformed through The United Methodist Church. To share your #BeUMC story of transformation e-mail Brett Hetherington, EOC Communications specialist.

View #BeUMC stories & the EOC #BeUMC website.

Each episode of our East Ohio Conference podcast, Storyboard: Faith Witness Transformation, explores what it means to #BeUMC.

Episode 20 is titled “Experiencing God Through The UMC: Loving God, Loving Neighbor, Building Community, Transforming Lives”. The episode features conversation with Bishop Tracy S. Malone and leaders of the East Ohio Conference about how their vision and leadership, and the ministry of those with whom they work, are fulfilling The United Methodist Church mission of discipleship and transformation and proclaiming witness and hope in the world.

For questions about Communications ministries such as the #BeUMC campaign, live-streaming, licensing, social media and more, please e-mail Rick Wolcott, executive director of Communications, or visit the Communications pages of the Conference website.

Bishop’s Office

Be a YES! Church Committed to Christ and Open to the Movement of the Holy Spirit

I invite us to reflect on the words we hear as we gather as the Body of Christ and partake of Holy Communion: “By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other and one in ministry to all the world until Christ comes in final victory and we all feast at his heavenly banquet.”

These words of blessing bear witness to who we are called to be as the Body of Christ and speak to our need for an outpouring of God’s spirit. It is a recognition that we can do all things that God has called us to do through Christ who strengthens and empowers us to fulfill God’s purpose. (Philippians 4:13)

Every time we accept the invitation to come to the Lord’s Table, we are essentially saying YES! We’re saying YES to being open to the movement of the Holy Spirit. We’re saying YES to remembering that we are loved unconditionally by God. We’re saying YES to following in the footsteps of Jesus. We’re saying YES to being like-minded, having the same love and being one in spirit with each other. We’re saying YES to our mission of extending God’s love, grace, compassion and hope to our neighbors and to all the world. And we’re saying Yes to remaining faithful until Christ comes in final victory and the Kingdom of God is fulfilled.

Let us keep saying YES to Christ! God is able to do far more abundantly than what any of us can ever think of or even imagine with our collective YES. I can imagine lives being changed, communities being transformed, hope being reborn, and people being reconciled to one another through our collective YES!

I invite every local church and faith community in the East Ohio Conference to be a YES church that is committed to worshipping, praying, loving, growing, serving, listening, and connecting!

Learn more about being a YES! Church.
Download the YES! Church Resource.

A Call to Prayer from Bishop Tracy S. Malone
Let us pray for all who have lost their lives, who have been injured and who have been displaced. Let us pray for peace and an end to violence. Let us pray for a peaceful resolution for all who live in the Holy Land.

Council of Bishops condemns violence in the Middle East.

Financial & Administrative Services

HealthFlex Annual Election – November 1-16
HealthFlex participants can use the ALEX benefits counselor to estimate costs and receive a personalized recommendation for your 2024 HealthFlex elections. ALEX will remain available throughout the annual election period that begins November 1 and ends November 16. If you have any questions about HealthFlex, please e- mail Robin Whitacre, Benefits manager, or call her at (330) 499-3972, Ext. 151.

Access ALEX and view the 2024 HealthFlex plans on the EOC website.

Wespath Offers Webinars about 2024 HealthFlex Plans
In preparation for the November 1-16 window for choosing your 2024 HealthFlex plan, Wespath is offering several webinars this fall to educate HealthFlex participants on available options and to provide updates on plans. One such update is the name of HSA plans:

  • The 2023 H1500 plan will be the H2000 plan in 2024.
  • The 2023 H2000 plan will be the H2500 plan in 2024.
  • The 2023 H3000 plan will be the H5000 plan in 2024.

Note that the H2500 plan will be the “given” plan in 2024 with no extra buy-up cost to the employee.

Click on the links to learn more about and register for these upcoming Wespath webinars:

For questions about Financial & Administrative Services ministries and opportunities, please e-mail Vera Rebrovich, executive director of Financial & Administrative Services, or visit the Financial & Administrative Services pages of the Conference website.

Multicultural Ministries

Black Theologian Day – November 18
The theme for Black Theologian Day 2023 is Just Economy and the guest theologian is Rev. Dr. Sidney S. Williams, Jr., an independent director, social impact investment advisor and practical theologian. From Wall Street to Martin Luther King Avenue, he has made a continuous effort of identifying where theological and marketplace frameworks interact — and more significantly, where they should interact. Rev. Dr. Williams pioneered the F.I.S.H. collaborative model for social impact for providing access to capital for anchor institutions serving marginalized communities.

All clergy and laity of the East Ohio Conference are invited to participate in Black Theologian Day, a Perspectives event that highlights another perspective by centering voices we do not often hear. Black Theologian Day is Saturday, November 18 from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at Cory UMC in Cleveland. The event is free but pre-registration is required because lunch will be provided by Church of the Saviour UMC.

Learn more and register on the Events Registration page of the EOC website.

For questions about Multicultural Ministries opportunities, please e-mail Will Fenton-Jones, Connectional Ministries office Multicultural Ministries director, or visit the Multicultural Ministries pages of the Conference website.

Missions & Community Engagement

House of Worship Safety Team Training Offered – October 28
Retired Fire Chief Mike Warner, a member of Hope Ridge UMC, will lead a four-session training for churches to both learn how to create a safety team and, if you already have one, to become trained in responding to emergencies, de-escalating situations, and active shooter scenarios. Each session builds on the one before it. The sessions are free, but you are asked to please register for them by calling the Mayfield UMC office at (440) 729-4006.  Make plans now to attend each of these sessions:

  • Saturday, October 28 (9:00 a.m. – noon) at Mayfield UMC
  • Saturday, November 18 (9:00 a.m. – noon) at Hope Ridge UMC in Mentor
  • Saturday, January 20, 2024 (9:00 a.m. – noon) at Mayfield UMC
  • Saturday, February 24, 2024 (9:00 a.m. – noon) at Hope Ridge UMC in Mentor

Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Training – November 8
Mayfield UMC invites all pastors, caring ministry teams, youth leaders, and Stephen Ministers to this suicide prevention training presented by Ravenwood Health. After completing the training, participants will be able to recognize someone at risk, know how to persuade them to seek help, and be able to refer them to an appropriate resource. The training is free, but you must register to attend by calling the Mayfield UMC office at (440) 729-4006.

Advance Special Applications Due January 15, 2024
An Advance Special is a mission or ministry with connections to the East Ohio Conference. Being an EOC Advance Special means the mission or ministry will be promoted in local churches, published in The Journal, posted on the Conference website, and provided a Fund number for donor-directed giving by the Conference treasurer. Being an Advance Special is an opportunity to promote awareness of the mission’s/ministry’s work and recruit volunteers. The deadline to apply to be an Advance Special is January 15, 2024. If you have questions about becoming an Advance Special, please e-mail Melanie Thomas, Connectional Ministries office administrative assistant, or call her at (800) 831-3972 ext. 102.

Learn more about EOC Advance Specials.
Download the Advance Special application.

Missionary Spotlight: Temba Nkomozepi
Temba Nkomozepi, a Global Ministries missionary serving at the Mujila Falls Agriculture Center in Kanyama, Zambia, made a visit to East Ohio in October to visit with his covenant partner congregation, Church of the Saviour UMC in Cleveland Heights. He was also able to visit St. Matthew UMC in Cleveland and Werner UMC in North Canton to share about his ministry and to see the work being done at Brookdale Orchard and Nehemiah Mission. Temba is a graduate of Africa University, and serves as an agriculturalist, providing training for farmers in small animal husbandry, milk production, fruit culture, fish culture and more. Mujila Falls also provides educational opportunities for children living nearby.

If you have questions about how your congregation can support our United Methodist missionaries serving around the world, please e-mail Kate Colbow, East Ohio Conference secretary of Global Ministries.

Learn more about and support Missionary Temba Nkomozepi.

Updated Flu and COVID-19 Vaccines, Free COVID-19 Tests Available
The East Ohio Conference Health & Well-Being Committee offers the following information out of care for the health of laity and clergy of our congregations and faith communities. We pray that you have a happy and healthy fall and winter season.

We all can do our part to reduce the spread of illness and to increase the safety of ourselves and our communities. COVID-19 is still circulating, and flu season has begun. Both viruses can cause serious health issues and even death, especially for older people. But did you know there are shots available for both that reduce the risk of serious illness and death?

Visit the EOC COVID-19 resource page.
Learn more about vaccines.
Order four free COVID-19 home tests.
Learn ways to improve indoor air quality.

For questions about Missions & Community Engagement ministries and opportunities, please e-mail the Rev. Kathy Dickriede, Connectional Ministries office Missions & Community Engagement director, or visit the Missions & Community Engagement pages of the Conference website.

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

The Blind
The popular reality series “Duck Dynasty” (streaming on Hulu and A&E) ran for about six years and featured the large Robertson clan, a Southern bayou family who became millionaires by manufacturing top notch duck calls. They lived a modest family-centered life and were upfront about their Christian faith, praying at the dinner table before every meal. They were also very funny and spent a lot of time teasing one another when they weren’t out hunting ducks. They loved to hunt.

The Blind begins with two friends positioning themselves in a duck blind for a day of hunting. One of the men is Phil Robertson (von Andrian) and he is taking advantage of the day apart to share witness of his early life, his wayward ways, his loving wife, and the events that led to his acceptance of forgiveness, baptism, and new life in Christ.

Read entire review.

Events: October 16 – October 29

Click to view East Ohio Conference Calendar.

To submit your event to the East Ohio calendar use this form. (The East Ohio Conference only accepts East Ohio United Methodist local church, conference and general UM events for listing on the Conference calendar.)

Celebrations of Life

Please pray for the families of:

  • James Stafford, retired Local Pastor, died September 20.
  • Charles S. Fast, clergy spouse, died September 23.

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 – Asbury UMC in Delaware
  • Musician – Shoregate UMC
  • Choir Director – LaPorte UMC in Elyria

Items Available/Wanted

  • 27 copies of the book Get Off Your Donkey: Help Somebody and Help Yourself by Reggie McNeal – Brecksville UMC

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

To Subscribe

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Deadline for submission is Thursday, October 26, 2023. Send articles to swilliams@eocumc.com.