September 16, 2024

EOC News

#BeUMC

To download the video above, first click the share button in the upper right corner of the video window, then click the Vimeo link. Then, on the Vimeo page click the download link underneath the video window.

“I’m a United Methodist pastor because I love our church, I love the fact that we include everyone and that we really do follow Jesus’ commandment to love each other with all we have and to love God with all our heart, all our mind, all our soul, and with all of our strength,” said Pastor Pamela Sayre of Huron UMC.

She is one of many people in the EOC who’ve shared how The UMC has transformed their lives. To schedule a time to record your story, e-mail Brett Hetherington.

View #BeUMC stories & the EOC #BeUMC website.

Our EOC podcast, Storyboard: Faith Witness Transformation, explores what it means to #BeUMC.

Episode 43 is titled “Influence, Connection & Impact: Investing in Our Future Through Reading”. This episode features a conversation about the SHINE reading program partnership between Henrietta UMC and Firelands Elementary School. Through this mentoring ministry, church volunteers Support, Help, Inspire, Nurture, and Empower the first-grade students with whom they read once a week.

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

Installation Service for Bishop Hee-Soo Jung – October 19
Laity and clergy of the East Ohio Conference are invited and encouraged to attend The Service of Installation for Bishop Hee-Soo Jung on Saturday, October 19 at 11:00 a.m. at Wooster UMC, 243 N Market St., Wooster, OH 44691.

The service will be followed by a reception at the church. This is your opportunity to greet Bishop Jung and his wife Im-Hyon and welcome them to the East Ohio Conference and the new Ohio Episcopal Area.

General Conference

Offer Input on the New General Book of Discipline
The Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters is tasked with developing a global Book of Discipline, called the General Book of Discipline. General Conference delegations have committed to providing a way for leaders in each annual conference of The United Methodist Church to provide feedback to the Standing Committee regarding the current draft.
 
You are invited and encouraged to click the link below to visit the General Book of Discipline / Worldwide Regionalization page of the East Ohio Conference website and offer your feedback. On the page you will find:

  • links to each of the seven chapters of the GBOD draft,
  • the link to offer your feedback of the chapters, and
  • information about the worldwide regionalization legislation that was approved by the General Conference and to be ratified must receive two-thirds of aggregate votes from annual conferences, which will vote during their respective sessions in 2025.

Visit the General Book of Discipline / Worldwide Regionalization page.

World Communion Sunday

World Communion Sunday on October 6 is a United Methodist Church-wide celebration emphasizing the value of education and training. We commemorate this day by giving generously to support young adults and make a global impact for Christ. Last year the World Communion Sunday special offering raised $443,000 enabling undergraduate and graduate studies for those who could not afford an education, helping to shape the future leaders of the United Methodist Church.

  • 50% of the funds collected on World Communion Sunday are used for scholarships that benefit undergraduate or graduate level students of color pursuing ordained ministry.
  • 35% of the funds collected provide grants to support training for worldwide inclusion, diversity, equity, and access. In-Service Training Grants are designed to bolster recruitment, training, and retention of persons of color for leadership positions at every level of the church and its ministry. Learn more about In-Service Training Grants here.
  • 15% of the funds are used for leadership development among our partner churches and communities in Africa, Asia/Pacific, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and people from communities of color in the U.S. Learn more by emailing scholars@umcmission.org.

Together, we can achieve much more than we could alone. Your generosity reflects God’s glory through young leaders, equipping them to pursue God’s call in their lives.

Learn more about World Communion Sunday.

Missions & Community Engagement

Beginning October 1 Apply to be an International Global Mission Fellow
Global Mission Fellows are young adults, ages 20–30, who are committed to serve two years in social justice ministries. Fellows enter new communities, understanding their challenges and assets through relationships, with the long-term goal of overcoming systemic oppression. They partner with community organizations to address a variety of issues, including migration/immigration, education, public health and poverty. Applications for 2025-2027 will open on October 1.

Apply on the Global Mission Fellows webpage.

Building Bridges Community Experience – October 16-17
All In Community and Ohio’s reentry community will gather October 16-17 for the 5th annual Building Bridges Community Experience. Join us in bridging pathways to hope. Each year, over 400 participants leave prepared and properly positioned to effectively strengthen Ohio’s reentry continuum of care with local coalitions, community members, agency partners, and organizations.

Workshops and presenters this year will focus on developing community pathways for goal setting, agency, and opportunity to generate hope in supportive reentry environments. The three reentry focuses for this year’s gathering are: serving families through the reentry journey, supporting returning youth, and soliciting victims’ voices in reentry efforts.

Each year, the Community Experience brings together community leaders, government officials, non-profits, policy makers, faith & community-based organizations, correctional professionals, law enforcement personnel, legal services, academics, justice involved citizens, and others interested in learning about and developing better community reentry responses. The event is free, but you do need to register in advance.

Learn more and register.
Download the event flyer.

All In Community 30 Days of Prayer
The 30 Days of Prayer ministry grew out of the All in Community Four Friends Speakers Bureau, which has led worship at some churches and shared stories during services at others, given testimony at the Ohio State Legislature on behalf of proposed bills, presented information sessions online to criminal justice professionals, and more. When a parishioner at a recent service shared with the All In Community speaker that she couldn’t participate in ministries that had been highlighted the speaker offered that the individual could participate through prayer. The woman replied that she could, and she would pray for the All In Community ministry and for the returning neighbors that were supported through its ongoing efforts.

Thanks to the Rev. Rae Lynn Schleif and Barbara Coleman, volunteer coordinator and ally for the Four Friends Speakers Bureau, the 30 Days of Prayer is a beautiful perpetual calendar that prays for those impacted by crime, incarceration, reentry, and restoration. Jesus said in Matthew 17:20 that if we have the faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. Together, through prayer, we can start to move the mountains of stigma and shame away and build healthy relationships. We can listen to the small voices amongst us to make a difference in our communities … one prayer at a time.

Join the 30 Days of Prayer.

Welcome Friends of All Abilities into the Church – October 30 or November 2
The East Ohio Conference is partnering with Ashland Special Needs Ministry to offer a workshop that will teach participants how their church can be a more inclusive community, how to minister to church members, and how to best support their friends with differing abilities. Scheduled speakers are Christina Teevan, executive director of Ashland Special Needs Ministry; Jess Berryhill, Youth Disability minister & executive director of Terre Haute Friendship House; and Kloey Kaeser, an intern at Ashland Special Needs Ministry. The same program will be offered twice:

  • October 30 from 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Ashland Grace Church (1144 W Main St.)
  • November 2 from 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at UMC of Macedonia (1280 E Aurora Rd.)

The cost to register for the workshop is $15 and a box lunch is included. If you have questions about the event, please e-mail Rev. Kathy Dickriede, Missions & Community Engagement director in the Connectional Ministries office.

Register on the Events Registration page of the EOC website.
Download the flyer.

UM Immigration Ministries Task Group
Are you a United Methodist in Ohio who would like to learn more about the US immigration system and our biblical mandate to welcome migrants? Have you ever wondered how The UMC could better engage in ministry with migrants, immigrants, and refugees in Ohio? Are you interested in collaborating with other United Methodists to advocate for policy change toward migrant justice? If you answered yes to any of or all those questions, then you are encouraged to join the United Methodist immigration ministries in Ohio task group that is forming now and will meet online once dates are set. Please complete the interest questionnaire and e-mail Rev. Kathy Dickriede, Missions & Community Engagement director in the Connectional Ministries office, with any questions.

UM Immigration Ministries task group questionnaire.

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

Discuss Our Hearts Were Strangely Lukewarm with Author John Elford – September 21
Join the East Ohio Conference Anti-Racism Team at Ashland First UMC on September 21 to welcome John Elford, author of Our Hearts Were Strangely Lukewarm: The American Methodist Church and the Struggle with White Supremacy. Individuals and churches are encouraged to attend as part of the all-Conference book read, but are not required to have read the book. Deadline to register is September 18.

Our time together from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. on September 21 will consist of fellowship, plenary sessions with John Elford, table discussion, and a panel discussion. Lunch and light refreshments will be provided. The suggested donation is $10 per person. All funds raised beyond the cost of the event will be used for the third pillar in our anti-racism work strategy: repair and reinvestment.

Register on the Events Registration page of the EOC website by September 18.

NCJ Black Methodists for Church Renewal – October 3-5
Laity and clergy are invited to Aldersgate UMC in Warrensville Heights October 3-5 for the annual meeting of the North Central Jurisdiction Black Methodists for Church Renewal. The three-day gathering is an opportunity to be inspired, to network, to learn, and to connect with like-minded individuals who share your passion for social justice and equality. Don’t miss out on this chance to have meaningful conversations, be empowered, and make a difference.

Learn more and register for the NCJ BMCR annual meeting.

Climate Care Retreat – October 12
The East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church and the Heartland Conference of The United Church of Christ are sponsoring “Reviving Hope: A Climate Action Summit for All Generations” on Saturday, October 12 at Templed Hills Camp & Conference Center in Bellville in Richland County. You are invited to join this ecumenical gathering to be inspired and equipped to care for God’s creation. Scheduled speakers for the climate action summit are: Will Fenton-Jones, Multicultural Ministries director in the EOC Connectional Ministries office; Rev. Michale Anthony Howard, minister of Faith in Action for the Living Water Association of the Heartland Conference; Susan Mueller, lead Climate Hope campaign manager for the United Church of Christ national office in Cleveland; Dr. Tim Van Meter, associate professor of Practical Theology at Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO); and Shema Roberts, a student in social justice-theological studies at MTSO.

Anti-Racism Sunday – October 20
The Ohio Council of Churches invites you to join churches across the state in participating in the 4th annual Anti-Racism Sunday. This year’s theme is “Dismantling Racism – Building Community”. Churches are invited to dedicate their worship time or to participate in an online service at 1:30 p.m. that day. Churches are welcome and invited to utilize any resources to celebrate their own Anti-Racism Sunday on ANY Sunday!

Learn more about Anti-Racism Sunday.

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.

Camps & Retreat Ministries

Rev. Beth Ortiz: Summer Camp Makes an Impact for Life
Beth was a very active student growing up and enjoyed playing basketball, being in the band, serving as president of her youth group, running track, and drama club – all things that kept her busy. While on the court in middle school, Beth’s nickname was “Elbow” because of her aggressiveness. Later, in high school, it changed to “Terminator.” She excelled and pushed hard at all in which she took part. Like most teenagers, Beth felt a great deal of pressure to perform well in her activities and to be accepted. The pressure to perform makes it hard for activities to simply be fun, but Beth found fun at summer camp.

“Camp was a place where we weren’t told ‘no’ very often. Camp made faith fun. I got to play outdoors a lot, and I experienced things I wouldn’t otherwise get to do. Camp was a place I belonged, at an age when I didn’t feel like I belonged in many places. At camp, performance was not the end-all be-all like it was everywhere else. At camp my acceptance wasn’t based on performance, but on simply being there and having fun,” she said.

“Being at camp one week every summer gave me a safe space to try the unknown and to be okay in a new space with new people. I was never in a family group that did not work no matter who was there,” she added. “You can create real community in a short amount of time.”

For eight or nine years, Beth attended summer camp at either Asbury, Aldersgate, or Wanake. Growing up United Methodist, she remembers seeing the brochures at church and deciding where to go to camp each summer with her cousin. Her camp experience helped Beth be ready and willing to explore the US2 Missionary program as she completed college. “Because of camp,” Beth said, “I was ready to take this step in answering the call to ministry I was experiencing as a young adult.” She currently serves as an ordained Elder in the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church as the director of Strategic Ministries in the Connectional Ministries office.

For questions about Camps & Retreat Ministries opportunities, please e-mail the Rev. Gary Jones, Connectional Ministries office Camps & Retreat Ministries / Spiritual Formation & Christian Education director, or visit the Camps & Retreat Ministries pages of the Conference website.

Spiritual Formation & Christian Education

Spiritual Formation Network Gatherings
If you are involved in spiritual formation and Christian education, you are invited to join your friends and colleagues via Zoom for devotions, support, question-asking and -answering, and sharing ideas. We will next gather online on October 8 at whichever time (9:00 a.m. or 7:00 p.m.) is convenient for you. Invite your friends involved in spiritual formation and Christian education ministries to join you and us for this time together.

Beginning in November, our group will gather on the first Tuesday of the month. The October date needs to be the second Tuesday. In November we will meet on Tuesday the 5th and in December we’ll meet on Tuesday the 3rd. On each of those dates join us at 9:00 a.m. or 7:00 p.m., whichever works best for you. To receive the Zoom link, please e-mail Rev. Gary Jones, Camps & Retreat Ministries / Spiritual Formation & Christian Education director in the Connectional Ministries office.

For questions about Spiritual Formation & Christian Education ministries opportunities, please e-mail the Rev. Gary Jones, Connectional Ministries office Camps & Retreat Ministries / Spiritual Formation & Christian Education director, or visit the Spiritual Formation & Christian Education pages of the Conference website.

Events: September 16 – September 30

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:

  • Cathleen Poremba, clergy spouse, died September 3.

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

  • Christian Ministry Coordinator – Brunswick UMC
  • Director of Communications and Digital Ministries – Strongsville UMC
  • Director of Children and Family Ministries – Bay UMC in Bay Village
  • Treasurer – Perry UMC

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

To Subscribe

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Deadline for submission is Thursday, September 26, 2024. Send articles to eoccommunications@eocumc.com.