#BeUMC
Rev. Joseph Burkhardt shares why he is United Methodist:
“I fell in love with our Methodist history, learning about John and Charles Wesley and the early Methodists and their commitment to community, their commitment to proclaim the Good News to everyone, that anyone, anyone, can receive the Good News that God loves all people,” he said. “Especially over these last few years I have just really grown for a passion that says the world can be transformed by the power of God’s Holy Spirit at work in the Church everywhere and especially through United Methodists because that’s who we have been since our beginning.”
Burkhardt 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 22 is titled “Belonging & Inclusion: Exploring What it Means to Create and Empower Belonging and Inclusion”. The episode features conversation with Connectional Ministries team members talking about ways that East Ohio Conference churches can create, and are creating, time, room, and space to welcome all people and build authentic community.
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.
Council of Bishops
Bishop Tracy S. Malone Elected COB President
For Immediate Release Friday, November 11, 2023
LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. – Bishop Tracy S. Malone, the area bishop of East Ohio Conference, was today elected president of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church during the bishops’ meeting at Lake Junaluska Assembly.
She becomes the first Black woman to be elected to lead the more than 110 bishops in the global denomination that includes Africa, Asia, Europe and Americas.
Also elected were:
- President-Designate: Bishop Ruben Saenz
- Secretary: Bishop L. Jonathan Holston
- Executive Secretary: Bishop Gregory V. Palmer
- Co-Ecumenical Officers: Bishop Hope Morgan Ward and Bishop Rosemarie Wenner
- Past President: Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton
The current officer holders are Bishop Bickerton, president; Bishop Malone, president-designate; and Bishop Holston as secretary. The new officers will take office at the middle of the General Conference in 2024.
The executive secretary serves as the operations officer of the Council and works closely with the Secretary to monitor actions of the Council and Executive Committee. The ecumenical officer is responsible for relationships with other Churches and/or ecclesial bodies. Both serve four-year terms and take office on September 1, 2020. Bishop Bruce Ough and Bishop Sally Dyck are the current holders of the positions.
Read the Council of Bishops press release.
UMC Bishops Call for Peace in the Holy Land
“Give Peace A Chance”
Christ’s true disciples must work for peace: build it and not just keep it; live it and not just aspire for it. If Christ is our peace, then peace must be imperative. (Resolution 6129: The United Methodist Church and Peace)
The United Methodist Church Council of Bishops, along with millions of people across the globe, are weeping and praying for the people of the Holy Land. We decry the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas and the continuing loss of life of Israelis and Palestinians including thousands of children.
We cannot remain silent while a preventable humanitarian crisis in Gaza unfolds with no safe haven for the citizens in Gaza or the volunteers and agencies seeking to prevent starvation and to treat the wounded.
We value all life. We encourage every effort toward a peaceful solution.
We call for the release of hostages and for the killing to stop. We also call for the immediate allowance of unrestricted humanitarian assistance. As Bishops of the Church, we denounce acts of and the proliferation of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and hate crimes that may begin with words and often turn to violence directed toward persons whose race, ethnicity or religion is disparaged.
We cannot stand by as though God is not weeping when the innocent, including children, are dying. We cannot abandon the way of Peace.
May we find ways to listen to the stories of those most directly impacted by this centuries-old conflict. We commit to join all people in creating life-giving ways to journey toward peace with justice for all.
The Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church Meeting at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina
Download the pdf version of the statement.
Financial & Administrative Services
A 2024 Shared Ministry Apportionment Message for East Ohio Conference Churches
We give thanks for the gift of your continued faithful support of the shared ministry of EOC throughout the years. We write to provide important information by answering questions you may have about 2024 shared ministry apportionments.
What will be the amount of my church’s shared ministry apportionments in 2024?
Annual Conference members voted in June to hold 2024 local church apportionments at the same level they were in 2023.
Will the process for submitting apportionment payments remain the same in 2024 as it is in 2023?
Yes. Effective January 1, the East Ohio Conference will have four districts instead of 10 and district finances will be moved into the Conference budget. The amount of your church’s 2023 district shared ministry apportionments will be combined with the amount of your church’s 2023 Conference shared ministry apportionments to determine the amount of your church’s 2024 shared ministry apportionments.
2023 District Apportionment + 2023 Conference Apportionment = 2024 Apportionment
Your faithful payment of your 2024 shared ministry apportionments will support vital church mission and ministry in your district.
What impact does my local church have on the mission and ministry of the East Ohio Conference?
As Bishop Tracy S. Malone reminds us, the key missional touchpoint for emerging and vital mission and ministry takes place at the local church. Your church’s faithful giving to shared ministry apportionments in 2024 will continue to fund programming to help ensure that in your mission field lives will be impacted and communities transformed through the love of Jesus in the new year.
Thank you for your continued support of our shared ministry giving! Know that your gifts will continue to be available for transformative ministry within your local church and districts.
As you continue to support the mission and ministries of the East Ohio Conference through your shared ministry apportionment giving you reflect the transformative light and love of Christ to the world.
Thank you for your faithfulness.
Be encouraged always,
Rev. Dan Bryant
Chair, Conference Council on Finance & Administration
Vera Rebrovich
Executive Director, Financial & Administrative Services
HealthFlex Benefits Enrollment Closes Nov. 16
The enrollment window for HealthFlex 2024 benefits opened Wednesday, November 1 and closes on Thursday, November 16. HealthFlex is more than a health insurance plan. It’s a comprehensive approach to healthier living – an integrated, wellness-driven health program offered through The United Methodist Church general agency Wespath Benefits & Investments.
Pastors appointed at ¾-time, or more, are eligible for HealthFlex benefits, as are lay employees of local churches, the Conference office, and/or district offices who work at least 30 hours per week. To sponsor HealthFlex for lay employees a HealthFlex sub-adoption agreement must be completed by the employer. If you have questions about the agreement or about HealthFlex enrollment, please e-mail Robin Whitacre in the Conference office.
Learn more on the Health Benefits page of the Conference website.
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.
Connectional Ministries
Leadership Interest Survey
The East Ohio Conference Leadership Committee is always seeking people interested in sharing their skills by serving on committees, commissions, and boards of the Conference. Thank you in advance for your willingness to serve. If you have questions about serving or the survey, please e-mail Melanie Thomas, Connectional Ministries office administrative assistant.
View and complete the Leadership Interest survey.
For questions about ministries of the Connectional Ministries office, please e-mail the Rev. Ed Fashbaugh, executive director of Connectional Ministries, or visit the Connectional Ministries pages of the Conference website.
Missions & Community Engagement
#GivingTuesday Match for Advances – November 28
For the third year, the Board of Missions will match donations made to any of our Mission Advance Partners. The maximum match per Advance is $500 and donations must be made online through the Conference on #GivingTuesday, which is November 28. Donations by check or directly to the Advance will not count towards a match. Last year, the Conference matched over $5,000 to many of the Advances!
Learn more about EOC Advances.
Christmas Giving Opportunities for East Ohio Churches
There are many charitable organizations that vie for our attention this time of year. While their intentions may be good, East Ohio Missions seeks to develop relationships and partnerships that are healthy and seek justice for the recipients. The Board of Missions encourages all East Ohio Conference congregations to support our Advance mission partners!
We asked all our Advances to share their Christmas wish lists and their respective needs are posted on the sidebar of the Missions & Community Engagement pages of the Conference website. Financial gifts may be made online or sent directly to the mission through their designated conference Advance Fund. If you have questions about Christmas giving opportunities, please e-mail Melanie Thomas, administrative assistant in the Connectional Ministries office.
View the Christmas wish lists of our Advance mission partners.
UMVIM Team Leader Trainings in December and January
At United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) Team Leader training, you will connect with others who have a heart for missions, discover the many resources and locations to serve available through The UMC to lead mission journeys with youth and adults, develop a strategy for sharing the mission story, and become equipped for reaching new, young, and diverse people to be a part of your next UMVIM journey.
If you have had the training in the past and are due to take the three-year refresher, please register for the free online training led by Rev. Kathy Dickriede, Connectional Ministries office Missions & Community Engagement director on December 6. The course will be on Zoom and you choose whether to register for the 9:00 a.m. session or the 7:00 p.m. session.
If you have never taken Team Leader training, Rev. Tammy Kuntz, UMVIM NCJ coordinator, will lead a free, in-person training on January 13 at Mentor UMC. Come and learn about UMC missions and get involved!
Learn more and register on the Events Registration page of the EOC website.
Mission Barn Looking for Volunteer Teams from November-March
The Mission Barn is one of our Mission Advance Partners located close to East Ohio in New Castle, Pennsylvania. The site is in need of volunteer teams to come and work on UMCOR kits and ramp building in November-March.
Learn more about the Mission Barn.
Global Ministries EarthKeepers
Melanie Smith shares this update:
I think about our church parking lot a lot. It’s right outside my office window. On hot summer days, I can smell the asphalt. On rainy days, I can hear the water rushing off it. On winter days, I watch the truck dump loads of salt all over it. Right now, the trees that skirt it are ablaze and beautiful. Soon, they’ll drop their leaves and I’ll be able to see Chippewa Creek from my desk chair. I see folks coming and going all week – pre-school families, Dawnbreakers, recovery groups, the mail truck, folks at Chippewa Place. Our parking lot is busy. Our parking lot is necessary. And because of its size and impermeability, our parking lot is contributing to storm water run-off and pollution. That’s been nagging at me!
I had done some quick research but found no easy answers. Then, I learned about Global Ministries EarthKeepers, a program to train and support United Methodist laity and clergy to address local environmental concerns and the systemic structures that give rise to those concerns. I applied and was accepted to represent the East Ohio Conference at the training in Hartford, Connecticut in October. It was so awesome! We discussed eco-theology and United Methodist entry points into environmental stewardship, identified community assets and concerns, and developed project plans. The training was led by staff from Global Ministries. Our teachers in Connecticut were pastors who had completed EarthKeepers training. The UMC of Hartford, our host church, is home to a successful EarthKeepers project – a beautiful community garden. Projects my diverse group of EarthKeepers are working on include food insecurity & accessibility, environmental education, community nature trails on church grounds, wilderness retreats for urban church women, solar technology for churches, making clothing ministries in NYC more efficient, and developing a network for churches worshiping “in the wild.” Our church is now part of a network of resources!
We worshiped, sang, and prayed every day and were asked to articulate our call to environmental ministry. I was stepping out of my comfort zone, but I came away from the experience energized and inspired by the many ways United Methodists are responding to our climate crisis and with a deeper understanding of what the Bible says about our responsibility to care for God’s amazing creation. On November 14 at 8:00 p.m., my fellow EarthKeepers and I will be commissioned by Global Ministries in an online ceremony shown live on Facebook, I really hope you’ll tune in!
I went to Connecticut thinking about a parking lot. I came home feeling God’s call to put my faith into action! Are you interested in creation care, too? Let’s talk! Please e-mail me.
Learn more about Global Ministries EarthKeepers.
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.
Multicultural Ministries
Black Theologian Day – November 18
Black Theologian Day is just a week away! If you have not already registered, please do so today. The event is free, but you need to register in advance so that event planners will know how many lunches to prepare. This year’s event, Perspectives: Just Economy, features guest theologian the Rev. Dr. Sidney S. Williams, Jr., an independent director, social impact investment advisor and practical theologian.
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 the historic Cory UMC in Cleveland where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once spoke as well as Malcom X.
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.
Young People’s Ministries
“ABIDE” Youth Leaders Retreat – January 19-20
Youth workers, pastors, volunteers, and teams who work with youth and young adults in The United Methodist Church are invited to the Youth Leaders Network 24-hour retreat beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 19 and concluding at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 20. We will explore practical ways to grow in discipleship, using simple tools to help both students and leaders mature in faith. This will be a great opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals who have a passion for student ministry where you can build relationships, share ideas, and grow together. Our theme this year is “ABIDE” (John 15:5). Come and enjoy fellowship and support with intentional time set aside to be renewed and refreshed. The retreat will be held at the Embassy Suites Akron Canton Airport (7883 Freedom Ave. NW, North Canton) and the cost per person to attend is $85 for a double-occupancy room, $165 for a single-occupancy room, or $35 for commuters.
Learn more and register on the Events Registration page of the EOC website.
For questions about Young People’s Ministries opportunities, please e-mail Pastor Christy Suffecool or e-mail Tim Beck, Connectional Ministries office Young People’s Ministries co-directors, or visit the Young People’s Ministries pages of the Conference website.
Higher Education
Exploration – February 16-18
Do you know of a young adult (18- to 26-years old) who would like to explore ministry options in connection with the United Methodist Church? Exploration is a General Board of Higher Education and Ministry event to help persons explore all aspects of ministerial vocation. The event has opportunities for worship, fellowship with like-minded persons, theological reflection, and workshops to help participants figure out educational and financial possibilities. The East Ohio Conference Board of Ministry has set aside money for scholarships to help persons from East Ohio attend. Rev. Drs. Lisa and Tim Morrison will be leading the East Ohio delegation. If you have questions about Exploration, please e-mail Rev. Dr. Tim Morrison.
Learn more Exploration.
Apply for a scholarship.
For questions about Higher Education ministry opportunities, please e-mail Pastor Christy Suffecool, Connectional Ministries office Young People’s Ministries co-director, or visit the Higher Education pages of the Conference website.
Message in the Movies
Priscilla
Priscilla Presley (Spaeny) was the first and only wife of Elvis and this biopic is based on her 1985 memoir about their years together. (It was later adapted as a 3-hour TV movie in 1988.)
Priscilla Beaulieu was introduced to Elvis (Elordi) in 1959 while living on an Army base in West Germany. Her stepfather was in the Army; she was 14 and a freshman in high school (Elvis was 28 and serving his time in the military after being drafted.). Needless to say, her family had more than a few concerns, but Elvis was able to charm his way into their good graces. During a strange and awkwardly chaste 8-year courtship Priscilla followed Elvis to Memphis to live with his family at Graceland. When they finally wed, she soon gave birth to their daughter Lisa Marie. While Elvis traveled away to make movies, she was kept isolated in their Memphis estate.
Events: November 13 – November 26
Click to view East Ohio Conference Calendar.
- Sunday, November 19
ThankSinging Hymn Festival - Saturday, November 25
Free Community Meal in Lakewood
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:
- John P. Reiter, clergy spouse, died October 30.
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
- Administrative Assistant in the office of Connectional Ministries – EOCUMC
- Office Administrator – Vermilion Grace UMC
- Youth Director – Northampton UMC in Cuyahoga Falls
Items Available/Wanted
- Liquidation sale – The United Methodist Church in Stow
To submit a classified ad please e-mail 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, November 27, 2023.
Deadline for submission is Wednesday, November 22, 2023. Send articles to swilliams@eocumc.com.
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