Below you'll find upcoming events, helpful information, and mission highlights for the West Ohio Conference and Maumee River District. Please visit our website using the link below for additional resources and info.

Frankly Speaking December Conversation

Our speaker for Frankly Speaking on Tuesday, December 3, 7:00-8:00 p.m. is Monica Moening. Monica is a restored citizen, formerly incarcerated, who is all in with a grass roots movement called Building Freedom Ohio. Monica is vivacious and committed to helping those returning from incarceration. She has a story to tell and an excitement testimony about what she is currently doing with her life. You will not want to miss this conversation. Login at https://qrco.de/bfJyoa  

Seasonal Concert -

Kerry Patrick Clark & Friends

Join us for this free concert of seasonal music from folk artist Kerry Patrick Clark, as well as holiday jazz and rock stylings from our Fountain of Truth band. Grab some refreshments and enjoy your Christmas favorites from these talented local musicians. The option to donate will be available and donation proceeds will go toward hurricane relief through UMCOR. The concert is on December 15th, at 4 PM, held at Maumee UMC (405 Sackett St, Maumee OH 43537).

Weston UMC Cookies & Crafts

The Weston United Women of Faith organization is hosting a Cookies & Craft Sunday on December 8th from 11:30am - 1:30pm and you are invited! The proceeds from this event will benefit their Mission Projects. There will be a wide assortment of delicious cookies and other treats that you can purchase to boost your holiday baking supply. There will also be craft vendors with a variety of items to purchase for gifts or your own use.

If you are not able to attend, but would like to support their Mission Projects, or you would like to support them as a vendor, please see the flyer below for more information or to get connected.

The event will be held at Weston United Methodist Church, 13185 Maple Street, Weston, Ohio.

Weston WOF Donation/Vendor Flyer

2025 Virtual Candidacy Summit

Do you feel God calling you to ministry in a deeper way? Are you seeking guidance to understand what it means to be called to ordained ministry in the church? If so, the virtual Winter Candidacy Summit Retreat is a place for you!

This Candidacy Summit will take place January 10-11, 2025. The retreat is an opportunity for candidates to worship, fellowship, meet with a mentoring group, learn in large and small group settings, and reflect with others who are also exploring God's call on their lives. To be eligible, candidates must be recommended by their District Superintendent AND complete all the necessary preparatory work. The deadline to register is December 15. Click HERE to learn more

MissionInsite is the program used to create demographic reports for our churches, districts and conference. They have made some updates and we, as a conference, are part of the Early Adopters program and will test it before it is made public to others. The log in is slightly different. Your username is the same, but your password will need to be reset. Please see the links below for a Step-by-step user guide for logging in to MissionInsite. The changes will take effect November 1 - 4. Please contact Terri McClain at tmcclain@wocumc.org in the Office of Fresh Starts and New Beginnings if you have any questions or have trouble logging in.

MI User Guide

MI User Login

Leadership Training 2025

Save the Date! Registration is coming soon.

Plan to join us on Zoom if you’ll be serving on Finance, S/PPRC or Trustees, or to explore the One Board Leadership Model.  

These one-hour training sessions are for new and seasoned leaders. They will help you understand the duties and responsibilities of Finance, S/PPRC, Trustees, and the One Board Leadership Model, respectively. Each session will include time for Q&A so you can serve effectively in your role.

Save the Date for the Live sessions on Zoom:

• Finance: Tuesday, Jan 28, 2025
• S/PPRC: Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025
• Trustees: Friday, Jan 31, 2025
• One Board Leadership Model: Tuesday, Feb 4, 2025

Please Note:

• All sessions will take place on Zoom from 10:30 - 11:30 am on the designated date.
• Please register if you can attend live OR if you’d like to receive access to the recording.
• Each session will last one hour. 
• No in-person Leadership Training Day will take place in early 2025.
• All sessions will be recorded and available on the West Ohio Conference Learning Platform.

West Ohio Conference

Family Advent Resources Available

The Emerging Generations Ministry Team is excited to release the 2024 Family Advent Resources. If your congregation is looking for a fun way to engage families throughout Advent, simply click on this link: Family Advent Resources and download the advent calendar. This year’s calendar follows the lectionary texts and utilizes the UM Discipleship graphics. Social media posts will also be available. Contact Ann Marie Carley to learn more.

2025 Virtual Laity Discernment Retreats

Do you feel God's call on your life but are uncertain how to discern that call or what to do next? If so, then this is the Retreat for you! At the Laity Discernment Retreats, we will talk about call, discernment and what it means to be "called by our baptism." We will learn ways to intentionally enter into a time of prayer about discernment and we will discover Spiritual Rhythms that can help guide our journey. We will also discuss the variety of ways Laity can serve both in our churches and in our communities.

In 2025, the virtual laity discernment retreat will consist of two, two-hour ZOOM sessions, followed 6 weeks later by a two-hour ZOOM debriefing. In the 6 weeks between sessions, there will be opportunities to read, reflect, and practice Spiritual Rhythms that will lead you to a better understanding of your own call.

"I would recommend a Laity Discernment Retreat to someone who is searching or has questions about how they can serve their community or their church. It can help guide them through the process, provide resources and help provide a sense of peace about what they can be doing right now." -Twila Boyd, 2019 participant

Dates (please plan to attend all 3 sessions):

• Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 6:30-8:30pm
• Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 6:30-8:30pm
• Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 6:30-8:30pm
• Register Now!

For more information, contact Kim LaRue at kimlarue@powellumc.org. 

Apportionment E-Statements Update!

We previously announced that The Conference is now offering apportionment statements by e-mail and wanted to share additional information as well as some minor changes. Please carefully read the following: (changes are shown in red.)

      To register:

1.   If a treasurer relationship is not listed for your church at westohioumc.org, please reach out to your district administrator to set one up. This is needed to receive e-statements. Registration and appropriate permissions are required as well, which your district administrator can also assist you with. 

2.   Once step 1 is complete, Go to “MyChurch” in the upper righthand corner > Choose “Apportionments” from the red menu > Choose “Apportionment Statements.”

    Once registered for e-statements:

• Paper statements are no longer sent to your church by mail.
• Treasurers will automatically receive statements by email. 
• To add additional emails to the distribution list, such as your pastor or accounting firm, please email Rhonda Tyree at rtyree@wocumc.org.

·      This service is optional. If you prefer mailed statements, you do not need to do anything at this time.

·      Please e-mail any questions concerning e-statements to rtyree@wocumc.org. 

The New Zenler Platform

The West Ohio Conference provides an on-demand learning platform for local church leaders to engage in training to help them lead successfully. The New Zenler platform includes courses on pastoral transitions and Leadership Labs for justice involved ministries. 

LEARN MORE

New Clergy Financial Wellness Resource Guide

Financial issues can be a serious problem for clergy at all phases of their ministry and can adversely impact their effectiveness, health, and spiritual well-being. The United Methodist Foundation of West Ohio has partnered with the WOC Office of Ministry, the Office of Benefits & HR, Communications and Wespath to create a new resource guide that is meant to be a comprehensive source of information on the many resources available to assist clergy with their financial health. The guide can be accessed online here or can be requested from the Foundation or District offices.

Rev. Arlis Robina Vaughn

Mrs. Mary Kay Eipper

Rev. Richard (Dick) A. Donnenwirth

Rev. Dr. Thomas Sagendorf

Maumee United Methodist Church - Nursery Caregiver: Maumee UMC is hiring caring and dedicated staff members for our church nursery! If you have a heart for working with children and a passion for creating a safe, loving environment, we would love to hear from you.

Position Requirements:

-Commitment to providing a safe, nurturing, and faith-centered environment.

-Reliability and a strong sense of responsibility.

-Availability on Sunday mornings and Wednesday Evenings.

If you or someone you know would be a great fit, please reach out to Danielle at dsillery@maumeeumc.net. Join us in making a meaningful impact in the lives of our little ones!

The Maumee River District Office is open from 9:00am-4:30pm Monday-Thursday. The office may be closed on Fridays, but Michelle will still be working from home and available by phone and email. Office appointments can be scheduled on Fridays if needed.