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 |
| Linda Bradley | Brighton & Rochester UMCs | West Plains | |
| Christian Locke | Lakewood UMC – Associate Pastor | Northern Waters | |
View the complete list of 2025-2026 Appointments and Changes of Status, including retirements.
#BeUMC
Storyboard: Faith Witness Transformation
Episode 82 Unlikely Partners
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 82 “Influence, Connection & Impact: Unlikely Partners” features a conversation with East Ohio Advance Special Unlikely Partners (EOC 9999) founder Donovan Harris and board member Duane Crabbs as they share how they partner with community members to make a better future for youth exposed to violence.
“We thought that if we focused on the youth that were most likely to encounter violence, then we could start to change some of those things that we thought needed to be addressed in our community,” Harris shared.“
We’re really a ministry because ministries prioritize relationships. And at the end of the day we’re not an addiction recovery service, we’re not a child welfare agency, We’re not just a housing development organization. We’re people who seek to love those who we’re in relationship with,” said Crabbs.
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
Soul Food: When Grace Came Ashore at Ganghwa
There are places where history becomes more than memory. There are places where the wounds of the past and the mercy of God meet in a way that makes the soul tremble. For me, Ganghwa Island is such a place.
In April of 1907, the Rev. William B. Scranton, serving as Presiding Elder, traveled to Ganghwa with missionaries Jones and Deming, along with Rev. No Byung Sun and others, to lead a great Bible conference. Their destination was Jamdu Church, now known as Ganghwa Central Methodist Church.
The record tells us that 320 members of the church came all the way to Gapgot Ferry to welcome the missionary party. They did not merely greet them with polite words. They had prepared a song of welcome, a hymn of love, longing, and gratitude.
They sang:
“Our beloved Jesus has sent our (Presiding) Elder to us. We waited and longed for him, and today, at last, we meet.”
And in the refrain:
“He has come, he has come, our (Presiding) Elder has come. We waited and hoped, and today, at last, he has come.”
They sang as they walked from the ferry landing to the church in town. What a holy procession that must have been – Korean believers, new in faith yet overflowing with joy, welcoming those who had come in the name of Christ. This was not only a local church event. It was a sign of God’s mysterious providence.
Only a few years earlier, in 1901, Charles Otto of Marietta, Ohio, gave a special memorial offering in honor of his wife, Lydia. Through that gift, land and buildings were purchased in Ganghwa: a tiled-roof house of 25 rooms and a thatched house of 16 rooms. There, Jamdu Church was established.
A gift from Ohio became a seed of the gospel in Ganghwa. A memorial offering became a mission altar. A family’s love became a church’s foundation. From that beginning, the Methodist movement in Ganghwa grew with astonishing vitality. Today, the Methodist presence in Ganghwa has expanded into more than 140 churches and four districts. This is not merely institutional growth. It is the fruit of God’s mission, the harvest of sacrifice, prayer, and grace.
Read “When Grace Came Ashore at Ganghwa” in its entirety.
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.
Scranton Memorial Hall and Memorial Church Fundraising
Construction on the 2,200-square-foot Scranton Memorial Hall and Memorial Church is underway in Seoul, and should be completed in October 2026. When opened it will offer training in spiritual formation to pastors and laity, teach and collaborate with students and scholars on mission strategy, and nurture multicultural and international partnerships.
A special offering will be collected at the East and West Ohio Annual Conferences in May and June. Bishop Hee-Soo Jung also invites Ohio United Methodist Churches to offer a gift to the project as a tithe of gratitude. Local Churches and members can give to the fund here.
“Supporting the construction of the Scranton Mission Center in Seoul is not simply financial support or participation. It is an act of honoring our spiritual heritage and renewing our responsibility for mission. It is a statement of faith in which we declare, ‘we remember the missionaries we sent and we continue the work they began,’” Bishop Jung declared.
Read the groundbreaking article in its entirety.
Special Sunday Offerings
United Methodist Student Day – Any Sunday in May
United Methodist Student Day (UMC Fund 9211) emphasizes the value of education. Contributions received through this special Sunday support scholarships for United Methodist students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees. Action of General Conference 2024 moved United Methodist Student Day from the last Sunday of November to any Sunday in May.
Support United Methodist Student Day.
Peace with Justice Sunday – May 31
Peace with Justice Sunday (UMC Fund 9209) has traditionally been celebrated with an offering on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Half of the offering is disbursed through the General Board of Church and Society and half through the Conference Church and Society Committee. The offering supports programs that advocate for peace and justice at home and around the world.
Support Peace with Justice Sunday.
Annual Conference
Use the Buddy System to Prepare for AC 2026
Many clergy and lay members are already connecting well ahead of Annual Conference. This is a simple encouragement to continue that practice. A quick “buddy system” check-in can make a meaningful difference in helping both clergy and lay members feel prepared and supported. Take a few minutes together to:
- confirm registration and lodging details.
- review the Pre-Conference Workbook.
- make plans for arriving, parking and checking-in on The College of Wooster campus.
- clarify meal plans and key events, including the Mission Dinner and Ministry Fair.
- invite questions and share what to expect in the flow of conference, such as worship, reports, conversation, and decision-making.
Please take time to review the conference materials as much as possible ahead of time. Even a brief conversation or coffee meeting can help everyone arrive confident, prepared, and ready to fully participate in the work of Annual Conference. If you are unsure about any of these details, please e-mail Rev. Ed Fashbaugh, executive director of Connectional Ministries, and visit the AC 2026 website.
Golf Cart Transportation Available During AC 2026
Golf cart drivers will again transport AC members across campus during this year’s conference. Because this is a limited resource, we invite everyone to be mindful of those for whom walking longer distances may be difficult. If you are able, choosing to walk helps ensure that transportation remains available for those who need it most. However, if a cart has available space, you are welcome to ride. We appreciate the care and consideration you show one another as we work together to make Annual Conference accessible and welcoming for all!
Conversations about AC 2026 Recommendations and Resolutions
This year, to help members of the Annual Conference prepare for recommendations and resolutions to be discussed and acted upon during the 2026 session, online conversations will be hosted during the month of May. The first conversations focused on financial items and the Camps & Retreat Ministries sustainability study.
Conversation 3: Monday, May 18 @ 7:00 p.m.
Resolutions 2026-01, 2026-02, 2026-03, and 2026-04
Join the May 18 webinar.
Learn about the resolutions submitted for AC 2026.
Conversation 4: Wednesday, May 20 @ 7:00 p.m.
Resolutions 2026-05, 2026-06, 2026-07, 2026-08, and 2026-09
Join the May 20 webinar.
Learn about the resolutions submitted for AC 2026.
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. Join us at 7:00 p.m. in the Gault Recreation Center for a worship service to praise God for the ministries birthed through the creativity of individuals and congregations and supported by Conference grants.
AC 2026 Worship Services – June 11-13
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. Bishop Hee-Soo Jung will preach the sermon during the opening Service of Commemoration and Holy Communion at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 11. Bishop John L. Hopkins will be the guest preacher for the Service of Licensing, Commissioning, Ordination, and Retirement at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, June 12. Both services will be in McGaw Chapel.
Rev. Kil-Sang Yoon will be the guest preacher for the 9:00 a.m. service on Friday, June 12. Bishop Ruby-Nell Estrella of the Philippines Episcopal Area will be the guest preacher for the 9:00 a.m. service on Saturday, June 13 celebrating 70 years of ordaining women. Both services will be in the Gault Recreation Center.
Learn about AC 2026 and view the livestream.
Hotel Rooms Still Available for AC 2026
Again, this year, the Conference has arranged for four hotels in the Wooster area of offer blocks of rooms at discounted rates for AC members. Some of those hotel rooms are still available, but time is running out to book them at the reduced rates.
Make an AC 2026 hotel reservation.
Register for Group-Organized Special Meals by May 31
These three groups have each organized a special meal during AC 2026: re are three special meeting meals at Annual Conference organized by the following groups:
- Black Pastor’s Gathering
Thursday, June 11 @ 5:30 p.m. (Tartan Room) - Fellowship of Associate Members and Local Pastors Breakfast
Friday, June 12 @ 7:30 a.m. (Tartan Room) - Methodist Federation for Social Action Dinner
Friday, June 12 @ 5:45 p.m. (The Alley)
Register for the special meals by May 31.
Ministry Fair – June 11
The ministry fair, featuring general church agencies, Conference boards and committees, mission Advance partners, seminaries, and more, is Thursday, June 11 from 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. in large tents along the main sidewalk between the Lowry Student Center and the Gault Recreation Center. During this year’s event, Conference Secretary of Global Ministries Kate Colbow invites you to connect with missionary United Methodist missionary Patrick Booth who is serving in Cambodia as the co-director of Project ARK. Project ARK’s mission is to tackle poverty as a culprit of human trafficking by equipping and restoring livelihood through the construction trades.
Meet UM missionary Patrick Booth.
Midwest Mission Collection Truck – June 11-12
The Midwest Mission collection truck will receive donations in Parking Lot #29 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. In addition to the items listed on the flyer below, the truck will accept school supplies and UMCOR kits. If you have any questions about the ministry fair or 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.
Download the school supplies list.
Learn about UMCOR kits.
Financial & Administrative Services
One Wespath: New Look, Same Purpose
On May 1, Wespath Benefits & Investments moved to a unified One Wespath brand and launched a redesigned website. The update introduces a simpler, more streamlined brand and digital experience. The look has been updated but the Wespath purpose remains the same: supporting your financial journey now and into the future.
Everything about your benefits remains the same. There are no changes to your benefit plan or account, and there are no changes in how you access your personal information.
Sign-in to access your benefits.
Visit the updated Wespath website.
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.
Disaster Response
Early Response Team Member Training – June 20
The Ohio Episcopal Area is offering United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Early Response Team (ERT) member training on Saturday, June 20, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the East Ohio Conference office (8800 Cleveland Ave. NW, North Canton). Learn best practices for responding as a volunteer in disaster situations. Training includes how to interact with survivors and help survivors recover belongings, tarp roofs, and safely remove debris. Successful completion of the training and a background check are required to receive your credentials as a certified UMCOR ERT volunteer. The badge is good for three years. If your UMCOR ERT certification is due to expire in 2026, you are eligible to recertify and you will not need to stay for the entire class. The cost for the class is $25 and includes the training manual, an ERT t-shirt, and lunch. If you have questions about the training, please e-mail Tom King, Disaster Response Committee chairperson.
Register on the Events Registration page of the EOC website.
Download the ERT training flyer.
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.
Mission Engagement
A New Chapter Begins for All In Community
The leadership team has grown for All In Community, an EOC Health & Well-Being partner (Fund 9984). This team oversees the ministry initiatives that serve those impacted by the criminal justice system. Embracing different perspectives and experiences is key to creating space for All In Community to expand and serve across Ohio.
Through this expansion of the All In Community leadership team, we are delighted to say that we are represented by clergy and laity from both the East and West Ohio Conferences along with voices that have experienced incarceration first-hand. Our minds are full of the potential we have to engage with impacted individuals in new ways. As we look to deepen our current ministries and work to establish new opportunities to break up the school-to-prison pipeline, we welcome all to this important work to make our communities safer and healthier.
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.
Disability Awareness
Day Camp Offered for Children with Disabilities – June 22-26
Jefferson UMC (Northern Waters District) recognizes that families caring for individuals with disabilities are one of the highest populations that are unchurched or not connected with a church. We want to help them to have the support and services they need.
We have partnered with the other United Methodist churches in Ashtabula County to host Camp No Limits, a summer camp offered to children five years-of-age to 12 years-old who are differently abled. We are also partnering with the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities, of which Lisa Ebersole, our camp director, is a member for this camp, which will feature campfires, archery, songs, crafts, nature and everything you would expect at summer camp.
The response to the camp has been positive, and we are more than halfway to our goal of hosting 25 children from 8:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. June 22-26. If you would like to volunteer to assist at Camp No Limits, please e-mail Lisa Ebersole or call her at (440) 563-8758.
Multicultural Ministries
Dancing the History of Now – June 25–27
Ohio Episcopal Area Multicultural Ministries is sponsoring an InterPlay Untensive event hosted at Ursuline College in observance of Juneteenth, LGBTQQIA Pride Month, and PTSD Awareness Month.
The three-day workshop will feature participants: dancing the moment we are living in, singing songs that liberate our hearts, sharing stories that remind us of our common humanity, practicing embodied tools that reduce stress and restore resilience, and strengthening our capacity to stay present during challenging times.
The registration deadline is Wednesday, June 10. If you have questions about the event, please e-mail Will Fenton-Jones, director of Multicultural Ministries.
Register on the Events Registration page of the EOC website.
Download the event 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
Become a Camp Ambassador
For every new family whom you refer – and who then registers for Summer Camp 2026 – you will receive $100 off your registration fees. And so will the new family! So, if six new families whom you refer register for camp, you can send your child to camp for free! Help us spread the joy of camp by becoming a camp ambassador.
Download the Refer Families bulletin insert in color.
Download the Refer Families bulletin insert in black and white.
Register for Summer Camp 2026
The theme for Summer Camp 2026 at all three camp sites is “Exploring God’s Nature”. Camp provides youth in grades 1-12 an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, learn new skills, have exciting experiences, and make lasting friendships – all while being guided by skilled, creative and compassionate staff.
Campers look forward to returning every summer to Camp Aldersgate, Camp Asbury, and Camp Wanake because they report feeling connected to God and to their faith at these ministry sites of the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church. 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 Camps participates in Q&A Webinar
As part of the EOAC26 Conversations series, Rev. Ed Fashbaugh, Rev. Hannah Weisbrod, and Ben Wilde took part in a Q&A webinar Wednesday, May 13 to share with members an update on the current work being done for the East Ohio Camps Sustainability Study. The participation and questions asked by viewers were greatly appreciated and led to a good conversation about why our camp ministry matters and how we will steward this ministry forward.
View the Camps & Retreat Ministries webinar.
EOC Camps Are Excellent Sites for Retreats
At our East Ohio retreat facilities – Aldersgate, Asbury, and Wanake – our goal is to provide comfortable settings and quality programs through which people can experience Christ’s love in God’s Creation and share that love with others. The sites provide year-round accommodation for both small and large group gatherings.
Learn about Camp Aldersgate retreat facilities in Carrollton.
Learn about Camp Asbury retreat facilities in Hiram.
Learn about Camp Wanake retreat facilities in Beach City.
For questions about Camps & Retreat Ministries please email Rev. Hannah Weisbrod, director of Camp Administration, Marketing and Development or Ben Wilde, director of Camp Programs and Operations or visit the Camps & Retreat Ministries pages of the Conference website.
United Women in Faith
You Are Invited to Mission u – July 10-12
Mission u is a transformative educational program with Bible-based curricula and events to aid participants in deepening their faith in community, gain experience interpreting Scripture, and work toward healing themselves, their community and all of Creation. United Women in Faith boasts the only female intergenerational event with kids in grades K-6, youth in grades 7-12, and adults.
Mission u 2026 is Friday, July 10, beginning at 3:00 p.m., until noon on Sunday, July 12 at the University of Mount Union, 1972 Clark Avenue, Alliance, Ohio 44601. This year’s theme is “A Deep Knowing: Experiencing Emmanuel Through Every Part of Our Lives.”
Celebrations of Life
Please pray for the families of:
- Elizabeth Ury, surviving spouse of the Rev. William Ury, died March 4.
- Julie L. Corwin, surviving spouse of Pastor Mike Corwin, died April 6.
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
- Audio-Visual Director – Brecksville UMC
To submit a classified ad please e-mail swilliams@eocumc.com.
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