The United Methodist Church

Our mission is: to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Our vision for how we live into our mission is: to form disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.

#BeUMC

Storyboard: Faith Witness Transformation
Episode 70 Faithful Failure

Storyboard: Faith Witness Transformation is a podcast highlighting ministries across the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church that are transforming lives locally, nationally, and globally. Produced twice-a-month by EOC Communications, each podcast episode focuses on one of the core values of the #BeUMC campaign: Disciple Making; Belonging & Inclusion; Influence, Connection & Impact; and Experience of God through The United Methodist Church.

In episode 70 “Faithful Failure” Executive Director of Discipleship Ministries Rev. Beth Ortiz and Executive Director of Connectional Ministries Rev. Ed Fashbaugh sit down for a frank discussion on the topic of failure within ministry.

“We so often as a church think we fail because we aren’t what we used to be, or as a clergyperson we fail because people aren’t all excited or passionate about what we’re bringing as the new program. But we are unaware of systemic issues that add to the high probability of failure,” shared Fashbaugh.

The discussion is wide-ranging and should help listeners understand that failure is not always a bad thing.

“Failure is highly underrated. I have had some amazing results out of failing so I have tried to make some more space for it in my life,” said Ortiz.

Listen to previous Storyboard podcast episodes.
View clergy and laity sharing their #BeUMC stories.

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

Day of Thanksgiving & Unity – November 15
The East Ohio and West Ohio Conferences of The United Methodist Church will celebrate the second annual Day of Thanksgiving & Unity on Saturday, November 15 at Roscoe UMC in Coshocton. The theme for our time together will be “Christ Holds All the Parts Together” grounded in the words from Ephesians 2:21-22.

Bishop Hee-Soo Jung will preach, Bishop Lynette Plambeck of the Minnesota and Dakotas Conferences will preach and lead a one-hour plenary, and Rev. Dr. Beth Stroud of Methodist Theological School in Ohio will lead a plenary session.

Learn about and register for the Day of Thanksgiving & Unity.

Financial & Administrative Services

HealthFlex Benefits Enrollment Begins October 29
HealthFlex is 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 75% time or more are eligible for HealthFlex benefits, as are lay employees of local churches and district offices who work at least 30 hours per week.

Open enrollment for HealthFlex benefits members begins Wednesday, October 29 and ends Thursday, November 13. This is your opportunity to choose or modify your HealthFlex coverage for 2026. If you have questions about this year’s benefits election, please e-mail Robin Whitacre, Benefits director.

Learn more about HealthFlex 2026 benefits.

Wespath Benefits Election Webinar – October 28
HealthFlex participants are invited to participate in benefits election overview webinar hosted by Wespath from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 28. The webinar will be recorded for those who are unable to attend live.

Register for the Benefits Election Overview webinar.
 
For questions about Financial & Administrative Services ministries and opportunities, please e-mail Vera Milanovic, executive director of Financial & Administrative Services, or visit the Financial & Administrative Services pages of the Conference website.

Engagement with Children, Youth and Young Adults

Project Feed – November 16
Teens from across Ohio are invited to Project Feed, a meal-packing event with Midwest Mission, to support families experiencing food insecurity. Project Feed is Sunday, November 16 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. at The UMC of Kent. This one-day mission project is a chance for students to serve together, meet new friends, and make the world a little brighter – one meal at a time.

The cost to participate is $10 per teenager ($0 for adults). November 10 is the registration deadline.

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

For questions about Engagement with Children, Youth and Young Adults opportunities,please e-mail Ann Marie Carley, director of Engagement with Children, Youth, and Young Adults in the Connectional Ministries office. You may also e-mail Tim Beck, associate director of Engagement with Youth, or visit the Engagement with Children, Youth, and Young Adults pages of the Conference website.

Clergy

Family Advent Resources
Churches, faith communities, and families across Ohio are invited to view, download, and use new intergenerational Advent resources designed to foster faith-filled conversations and Spirit-led actions this Advent season. These resources, in English and Spanish, were developed utilizing the lectionary calendar from Discipleship Ministries of The United Methodist Church.

As you journey towards Christmas this year, may you remember that you are not alone in the waiting and that we often experience God’s love through our relationships with others. If you have questions about Family Advent resources, please e-mail Rev. Ann Marie Carley.

View the Family Advent Resources on the EOC website.
View The UMC Discipleship Ministries Advent lectionary.
View additional Advent resources from General Commission on Religion & Race.

Exploring a Call to Ministry

Candidacy Summit Retreat Online – January 9-10, 2026
All Christians are called to ministry. However, some Christians experience a call to the set-apart licensed or ordained ministry of becoming a clergyperson. The Ohio Episcopal Area comprised of the East Ohio and West Ohio Conferences of The United Methodist Church has a discernment process to help you further explore your call through preparation, participation, and prayer. The goal is faithfulness to discerning God’s call in your life right now, one step at a time.

A major part of the discernment process is the Candidacy Summit retreat, a bi-annual event where candidates worship and fellowship together, meet with their mentoring group, learn, and reflect with others who are also exploring God’s call on their lives. To attend the Candidacy Summit retreat, candidates must be recommended by their district superintendent and must complete the necessary paperwork. If you have questions about the Candidacy Summit and/or exploring a call to ministry, please e-mail Rev. Karen Wolcott, EOC Candidacy Summit coordinator, or Rev. Donnetta Peaks, executive director of the Office of Ministry of the Ohio Episcopal Area.

Learn more about exploring a call to ministry.

NCJ Ignite – March 13-15, 2026
The North Central Jurisdiction discernment event Ignite: Exploring Your Call to Ministry is March 13–15, 2026 at the Wespath Building in Glenview, Illinois. This recruitment and discernment event for persons of all ages emerged out of the work of the NCJ Committee on Ordained Ministry, which includes Boards of Ministry representatives from its 10 conferences, bishops, seminary representatives, and agency leaders.

Learn more and register for NCJ Ignite.

Mission Engagement

#GivingTuesday – December 2
The Board of Missions is encouraging United Methodists to support #GivingTuesday on December 2. Donations made on that day to EOC Advance Specials will be matched by the Board, with a $500 maximum match per Advance. Donors can schedule a donation in advance for that day. In 2024, 19 Advances received $6,487 in matching donations. Let’s make a goal of supporting even more Advance Specials ministries this year. If you have questions about the #GivingTuesday donation match, please e-mail Melanie Thomas, Connectional Ministries administrative assistant.

Learn about and support EOC Advance Specials Ministries.

Applications for Green Church Mini Grants
East Ohio Green Church mini grants provide limited funding for environmentally friendly projects in our churches, such as recycling or composting programs native plants for a pollinator garden, installing energy efficient light bulbs, hosting an Earth Day event, or more. To receive funding, churches must sign the provided Green Church Pledge and complete the accompanying sustainability audit. Each awarded grant will provide recipients with $100 – $750 for a green project in 2026. Recipients will then submit a grant report.

Grant applications will be received November 1 – December 15. Applications will be reviewed by the Board of Missions, who will contact submitters by February 15, 2026. If you have questions about Green Church mini grants, please e-mail Mariellyn Grace, Mission Engagement director.

Apply for a Green Church Mini Grant by December 15.

Advance Special Ministry Applications Available
East Ohio Conference Advance Specials are missions and ministries with ties to the East Ohio Conference of The UMC that are reviewed and approved by the Board of Missions or by district mission and strategy teams. The goal of the Conference Advance is to encourage and attract wider recognition and support, both financially and in recruitment of volunteers. Applications for ministries seeking to become a new Advance Special are due by January 15, 2026. Please review the guidelines below for more details before applying. If you have questions about being an Advance Special, please e-mail Melanie Thomas, Connectional Ministries administrative assistant.

View the Advance Special Guidelines.
Complete the Advance Special Application.

For questions about Mission Engagement ministries and opportunities, please e-mail Mariellyn Grace, Connectional Ministries office Mission Engagement director, or visit the Mission Engagement pages of the Conference website.

Disaster Response

Join a Disaster Response Recovery Team to Wisconsin – November 14
East Ohio Conference UMC Disaster Response has been invited to coordinate a team of individuals to deploy to Wisconsin November 14 for a three- or four-day mission. The team will work in the Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Washington County areas of southeast Wisconsin that in August suffered its worst flash flooding since 2008.

Both Early Response Team (ERT) trained and non-trained individuals may participate but the ratio must be one current ERT per two non-ERT trained people. All volunteers must be aged 18 or older. Work will include mucking out houses and other flood clean up. Housing and some meals will be provided by local churches. The Disaster Response Committee recently approved offering scholarships for ERT deployments to offset travel expenses, you will receive the link to the application after you complete the interest form below. If you have any questions about the opportunity to join the recovery team, please e-mail Tom King.

Complete the interest form on the Events Registration page of the EOC website.

For questions about Disaster Response ministries and opportunities, please e-mail Rev. Ed Fashbaugh, executive director of Connectional Ministries, or visit the Disaster Response pages of the Conference website.

Classifieds

Details of listings may be found here.

Positions Available

• Youth Ministry Coordinator – Medina UMC
• General Secretary/Chief Executive Officer – GCFA
• Director of Children’s Ministries – Chardon UMC
• Pianist/Organist/Accompanist – Chardon UMC
• Business Coordinator – Chardon UMC
• Preschool Director – Northampton UMC’s Preschool

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

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Thursday, November 6, 2025 is the submission deadline for the next E-News. Send articles to eoccommunications@eocumc.com.