By Amy Graham *

Black clergy and laity from the East Ohio and West Ohio conferences gathered April 17 for “Rooted, Renewed and Rising: Listening for the Future of Black Leadership in Ohio,” a one-day event focused on prayer, reflection, shared stories, and discernment.

Held in Worthington, the event created space for worship, Holy Communion, and intentional listening as participants reflected on the history and future of Black leadership in the church. Throughout the day, leaders engaged in guided conversations centered on seven key areas: history and experience, building trust and participation, mission and leadership, representation, spiritual renewal, community witness, and hope for what lies ahead.

Bishop Hee-Soo Jung affirmed the importance of the gathering as a moment of holy attentiveness and shared responsibility.

“The same Spirit that sustained the Black church through adversity, through injustice, through exclusion, and through hardship is still at work today. And that Spirit is calling us not only to remember, but to reimagine; not only to preserve, but to renew.”

Participants shared stories, named challenges, and lifted up opportunities to strengthen Black clergy and lay leadership across Ohio. Small group discussions and large group reflection emphasized the importance of honoring lived experience while imagining new pathways for leadership development, collaboration, and faithful witness in local churches and communities.

Christa English, youth coordinator at Clair UMC, believes it is important for people from the Black community to be represented in the church and wanted to hear how others felt about The United Methodist Church.

“I hope that I can find ways that I can help move us forward as Black churches and help improve how things are working in the UMC,” she said.

Worship and Holy Communion grounded the day in prayer and concluded the gathering with a spirit of resolve. Participants affirmed a commitment to continued listening, partnership, and concrete next steps to support Black leadership across the conferences.

“In order for the UMC to sustain itself, to be more culturally diverse, we must learn how to preach a gospel that is uncompromising, that appeals to new generations of diverse Christians,” said the Rev. Edgar Brady, pastor of Painesville UMC, who also attended the event.

Bishop Jung said, “The God who has been faithful in the past is still calling us into a future filled with hope. Let us listen.”

View the image gallery from this event.
View a video testimony from pastor Rev. Edgar Brady from Painesville UMC of the East Ohio Conference.
View a post-event video testimony from Christa English, lay person from Clair UMC of the West Ohio Conference.

The Conference Communications team would like to share other stories that highlight ways that each of us is answering the call to reach out to our communities in creative ways. Please e-mail your ministry story to EOC Communications Specialist Brett Hetherington at bhetherington@eocumc.com.

* Amy Graham is the Communications specialist for the West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church.