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.
Appointments
2025-2026 Appointments & Changes of Status
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung announces the following clergy appointments and/or changes of status which, unless otherwise noted, are effective July 1, 2026.
| 2025-2026 Appointments | |||
| Pastor | Appointment | District | Effective |
| Kelly Collins | School | ||
| David J. Miller (West Ohio) | Bigelow, Lakeville, Loudonville, Perrysville & Wayne County Fairview UMCs | Central Valley | |
| Jonah Mitchell | Keene UMC | South Forest | |
| Robert Spaulding | Grafton UMC | West Plains | |
View the complete list of 2025-2026 Appointments and Changes of Status, including retirements.
#BeUMC
Storyboard: Faith Witness Transformation
Episode 79 Building a Good Night’s Sleep
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.
Episode 79 “Influence, Connection & Impact: Building a Good Night’s Sleep” features a conversation with Chelsea Munroe of Sleep in Heavenly Peace and Kaila Mohney from Howland UMC (Central Valley District) about the work they and others have done with the nationwide charitable organization to build beds for children who do not have one in Trumbull County.
“Once you get to experience the joy of a child receiving something as simple but as meaningful as a bed there’s no looking back. You just know that if you have the skills and you have the heart for it, this is what you want to be doing with your time,” Mohney said.
“I think for me as a mom it’s a great lesson for my children to not only give back but to see how other families might be living and to kind of build that gratitude of we are really blessed in our family and what we can do to help others is to give back,” Munroe said.
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.
Five Pillars: Ohio Episcopal Area Missional Direction
2026 Ohio Vision Statement
In 2026, the Ohio Episcopal Area moves forward in collaboration, discipleship, multiplication, leadership development, and global mission – building a unified Spirit-led movement rooted in abundance, trust, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We commit ourselves to prayer, partnership, and courageous action as we form “One Ohio” for the sake of God’s mission in the world.
Five Strategic Pillars
The Five Pillars listed below emerged from conversations Bishop Hee-Soo Jung has had during his visits to more than 250 congregations across the Ohio Episcopal Area. In those conversations clergy and laity shared deep and faithful longings to grow in discipleship, to reach new people for Christ, to pass on the faith to the next generation, and to live in meaningful relationship and mission with their communities and the wider world.
The Five Pillars are not a program or a set of guarantees. Rather, they offer a shared vision and spiritual framework to guide our life together as “One Ohio” – rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, shaped by trust, and attentive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Pillar 1: Building Relationships
Pillar 2: Shared Mission
Pillar 3: Discipleship
Pillar 4: Multiplication
Pillar 5: Emerging Leaders
Download the Five Pillars document.
Download the Five Pillars guiding questions and shared discernment document.
Miracle Sunday
Miracle Sunday is May 17
In the United States, approximately 71% of clergy have earned a Master of Theology. Outside the U.S., fewer than 5% of clergy possess this degree. This disparity is not about calling or competence. It is about access.
The Love Boldly, Serve Joyfully, Lead Courageously Miracle Sunday initiative is a denomination-wide focus on strengthening theological education for clergy in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines. The special offering received on Sunday May 17 will support a permanent endowment for 500 theological scholarships annually – in perpetuity.
Learn about the theological education endowment.
Sharing About Miracle Sunday in Your Church
In support of the Council of Bishops’ Miracle Sunday endowment initiative, Conference leadership has prepared downloadable resources to inform your church about Miracle Sunday. Each week’s resource contains a video testimony with captioning.
Sunday, April 26 – Love Boldly
Sunday, May 3 – Serve Joyfully
Sunday, May 10 – Lead Courageously
Sunday, May 17 – Miracle Sunday
View and download Miracle Sunday resources.
Annual Conference
Clergy Executive Session – May 7
This year, East and West Ohio Boards of Ministry will hold a coordinated clergy executive session from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 7 at Lakeside Chautauqua. The clergy from both conferences will be together for worship and training and will meet separately by Conference for business sessions.
Register for the Coordinated Clergy Session.
Celebrating Ministries and Missions – June 10
You are invited to The College of Wooster campus on Wednesday, June 10 – the day before Annual Conference begins – to recognize and celebrate the impact EOC missions and ministries are making at home, across the country, and around the world.
- Missions Dinner @ 4:30 p.m. in Kittredge Hall
Purchase your $35 ticket for the buffet dinner and program on the AC 2026 registration site. - Missions & Ministries Celebration Service @ 7:00 p.m. in the Gault Recreation Center
Our worship service will praise God for the ministries birthed through the creativity of individuals and congregations and supported by Conference grants.
Annual Conference 2026 – June 11-13
East Ohio Annual Conference will begin on the morning of Thursday, June 11 and will conclude the afternoon of Saturday, June 13. We will again meet on The College of Wooster campus. The Annual Conference theme is “Celebrating Abundant Grace” and the words of Matthew 14:13-21 (NRSVA) will ground the services, sessions, and celebrations of our time together.
AC 2026 Worship Services
Thursday, June 11
9:00 a.m. – Service of Commemoration and Holy Communion
Preacher: Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, resident bishop, Ohio Episcopal Area
Friday, June 12
9:00 a.m. – Morning Worship Service
Preacher: Rev. Kil-Sang Yoon, retired, The United Methodist Church
7:00 p.m. – Service of Licensing, Commissioning, Ordination, and Retirement
Preacher: Bishop John L. Hopkins, retired, The United Methodist Church
Saturday, June 13
9:00 a.m. – Service Celebrating 70 Years of Ordaining Women
Preacher: Bishop Ruby-Nell M. Estrella, resident bishop, Manila Episcopal Area
Volunteers Needed for Annual Conference 2026
The Annual Conference Hospitality Committee is looking for volunteers to assist on campus during AC 2026. There are opportunities for all.
Complete the AC 2026 volunteer interest form.
Ministry Fair – June 11
This year’s ministry fair will be hosted in large tents along the main sidewalk between the Lowry Student Center and the Gault Recreation Center.
Midwest Mission Collection Truck – June 11 & 12
The collection truck for Midwest Mission, an EOC Advance partner (Fund 9944), will be parked in lot #29 off University Street in Wooster during Annual Conference. Staff will be present to receive donations from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 11 and from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, June 12. If you have any questions about the collection truck, please e-mail Melanie Thomas, Connectional Ministries administrative assistant.
Download the Midwest Mission flyer.
Download the Midwest Mission kits and projects brochure.
Discipleship Ministries
Get to know the Office of Discipleship Ministries.
At our core is relational ministry; we want to know you, and we want you to know us. We’re exploring fun and creative ways to engage with you. One way we’re doing that is through our new video series, Between Sundays: Practical Discipleship for Everyday Life. In it, we share who we are, what we care about, and how we hope to walk alongside local church leaders. In the first episode we explore how to shape a culture of discipleship.
New episodes of Between Sundays drop every other Tuesday on YouTube. You can subscribe to the channel to receive each episode. You can also receive weekly resources, ideas, and field notes from the Between Sundays newsletter on Substack, designed to support everyday discipleship in your personal life, church and ministry.
View Episode 2 of Between Sundays.
Visit the Discipleship Ministries Substack.
Applications Accepted for the 2026-2027 Town & Country Scholarship
The East Ohio Conference is pleased to offer the Town & Country Scholarship, awarded annually to students pursuing higher education at a United Methodist college, university, or seminary. This scholarship prioritizes students who are:
- preparing for ordained or diaconal ministry.
- entering full-time Christian service in town and country parish settings.
- pursuing careers in Christian service, including teaching, health care, and related fields.
Additional priority is given to members of United Methodist churches in East Ohio. If you have questions about the scholarship, please e-mail Rev. Beth Ortiz, executive director of Discipleship Ministries.
Apply for the Town and Country scholarship by April 30.
TAP Grants Support Bold Ministry
If you sense God stirring a vision for ministry in your church or community, the East Ohio Conference invites you to apply for a Trinity Action Project (TAP) grant to move your vision to reality. As Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 2:8, “So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.”
TAP grants seek to empower ministries that share both faith and life together. God calls different churches to minister in different ways. For some, it’s reaching children and youth. For others it’s ministering to older adults or neighbors in need, or people not yet connected to a church family. TAP grants will aid your congregation in responding faithfully and creatively in your own context.
TAP grants offer up to $5,000 in seed money to help launch ministries that embody our mission to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Ideal TAP grant-supported ministries nurture relationships and connections, bringing people together, fostering belonging, and deepening discipleship. Priority is given to new and innovative ministries with a clear plan for sustainability. Funds may not be used for capital expenses or clergy salaries but are designed to spark fresh expressions of God’s love in your community.
Apply for a TAP grant by May 5.
For questions about Discipleship Ministries opportunities, please e-mail the Rev. Beth Ortiz, Discipleship Ministries executive director, or visit the Discipleship Ministries pages on the Conference website.
Mission Engagement
Brookdale Orchard Tree March – April 11
Brookdale Orchard is an EOC Advance Mission Partner (Fund 9983) organized by St. Matthew UMC in Cleveland. On Saturday, April 11, beginning at 10:00 a.m. the Cleveland Nonviolence Network (CNVN) will lead a Tree March from Langston Hughes Library at East Blvd. and Superior Ave. to Brookdale Orchard’s newest garden at E. 86th & Wade Park. The Tree March is a way to express belief in a peaceful future in which people care about and for our planet. Participants will have the opportunity to carry saplings, and some will be planted at this new garden. If you have questions about the march, please e-mail Mittie Imani Jordan.
Mental Health First Aid Training – April 17
Friday, April 10 is the deadline to register for the next Mental Health First Aid Training, being held online from 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 17. The EOC Board of Missions is offering the session, which will be led by Meghan DeGregory of Thrive 10:10. Upon successful completion of the training, participants will be certified in MHFA for three years.
Register for the Mental Health First Aid Training.
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.
Multicultural Ministries
Carry the Hope: A Day for Justice-Minded Folks – April 11
Carry the Hope is a 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. gathering at the West Ohio Conference office in Worthington facilitated by Luke Wallace. The gathering invites participants to step away from urgency for a moment, reconnect with hope, and begin building a relational network of people committed to justice, care, and community in the days ahead. Participating laity and clergy will sing communally and engage in table conversations and regional connection designed to strengthen relationships and remind us that we are not alone in this work. Cost for the day is $10/person and includes lunch. If you have questions about the day, please e-mail Will Fenton-Jones, director of Multicultural Ministries.
Register on the Events Registration page of the EOC website.
Download the flyer.
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
Promote Summer Camp In Your Church
Camps & Retreat Ministries partnered with the EOC Communications team to create promotional materials for use in your church. You can download and use the following resources: videos, bulletin inserts, PowerPoint slides, gift cards, and more.
View and download the new Summer Camp video.
View and download the Summer Camps promotional materials.
Register for Summer Camp by April 15 and Save $25
Summer Camp offers a week of spiritual formation to children and youth in grades 1 through 12. If you register for Summer Camp before April 15, you can save $25/camper. If you have questions about Summer Camp, please e-mail the Camps & Retreat Ministries office.
Learn more and register for Summer Camp 2026.
East Ohio Conference Camps are Hiring Summer Staff
Aldersgate, Asbury and Wanake are seeking people 18 years old through retirement who love God, people, and the outdoors to serve in mission this summer with the camp program. Residential and commuter positions are available, including camp counselor, lifeguard, program staff, food service, maintenance, and healthcare.
Learn more and apply to be Summer Camp 2026 staff.
For questions about Camps & Retreat Ministries opportunities, please e-mail Rev. Ed Fashbaugh, Connectional Ministries executive director, or visit the Camps & Retreat Ministries pages of the Conference website.
Events: April 6 – April 19
Click to view East Ohio Conference Calendar.
- Friday, April 17
Mental Health First Aid Training - Sunday, April 19
United Methodist Young People’s Convocation Scholarship Benefit Concert
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:
- Paul W. Anderson, retired Elder, died July 23, 2025.
View obituaries.
To submit the obituary of an EOC clergy, a clergy spouse, a child of a clergy person, or a 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 – Willoughby Hills UMC
To submit a classified ad please e-mail swilliams@eocumc.com.
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