Bishop Tracy S. Malone Announces New EOC Superintendency Plan |
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” – Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ!
Yes! God is doing a new thing in the East Ohio Conference and in these unprecedented times, God is making a way and unfolding new ministry and leadership possibilities.
As of July 1, 2022, district superintendency will look different for several districts in the Conference. I have spent the last several months in consultation with the Cabinet and with the district superintendents and district superintendency committees who will be affected in the new leadership configuration. I am thankful to each for their support of this strategic plan.
Considering the new ministry appointments of Rev. Dr. Steve Bailey and Rev. Doug Lewis, the 10 districts of the East Ohio Conference will now be served by eight district superintendents and there will be new superintendency models implemented in two regions of the Conference. Every district will have an appointed district superintendent. District administrative assistants will continue to serve as a vital partner to the district superintendent, pastors, and local churches.
These missional, strategic leadership changes will better position the Conference as we continue to be faithful stewards of our mission and resources and as we face the current pandemic realities, the pending separation of some of our local churches related to disagreements on matters of human sexuality, and the declining membership and financial trends of some of our churches.
To that end, effective July 1:
- Rev. Bruce Hitchcock, currently serving as the Ohio Valley District superintendent, will serve as the North Coast District superintendent.
- Rev. Laura White, superintendent of the Southern Hills District, and Rev. Kelly Brown, superintendent of the Three Rivers District, will expand their leadership to also serve as the co-superintendents of the Ohio Valley District.
- Rev. Nestor Nazario, currently serving as the Mid-Ohio District superintendent, will expand his leadership to also serve as the superintendent of the Firelands District. Currently, Rev. Donna Van Trees provides assistance to the Firelands District superintendent. She will continue to serve part-time and be appointed as district superintendent associate.
In this liminal space in which we find ourselves we are leveraging this time to make some new discoveries and to assess and explore the needs, realities, and opportunities within the districts and to create a sustainable structure as we move forward in mission. The two new district superintendency regional models are intentional steps to move us forward in this process.
I have named a District Realignment/Restructure Task Force made up of a diverse group of laity and clergy from across the East Ohio Conference to do assessment work and then bring a report to the 2023 Annual Conference.
Beloved of God, amid these realities we currently face, we still have a mission to fulfill. The mission of Christ is yet alive and we continue to be called to “… go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” and to remember the promise of Jesus Christ … “and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 [NIV])
The East Ohio Conference is committed to resourcing and equipping pastors, local churches, and faith communities in building a greater capacity for making and maturing disciples of Jesus Christ, for being God’s agents of healing, hope and transformation in your communities, and for reaching new, younger and a more diverse people. This is our work, our mission, and our vision.
Disciples make disciples! Transformed leaders transform their communities and the world!
Let us together, stay focused on our mission … abiding in Christ, being outwardly focused through discipleship, abounding in love towards our neighbors and spiritually centered in our leadership and actions.
Let us not dwell on the past and let us embrace what is new … God’s possibilities!
Yours in Christ,
Bishop Tracy S. Malone
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The District Office is working primarily remotely. If you have something to drop off, there is a mailbox outside of Megan's door in the Conference Office. Mail is checked on a regular basis. |
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Cara's Weekly Calendar
February 21: Sabbath
February 22: District Strategizing
February 23: District Strategizing
February 24: District Strategizing
February 25: District Strategizing
February 27: Worship on the District
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Hello Lay Servants and future Lay Servants!
We are almost ready to post our Spring Training courses. Don Gibson has agreed to instruct the Advanced course entitled: Teaching Biblical Faith: Leading Small Group Bible Studies. It just became available a few weeks ago. Since the District has scheduled Spring Conference on April 23, the new date for training is May 21, 2022, at Bolivar UMC. We have 21 Certified Lay Servants who need to renew in 2022, (that’s this year). To register, please click here.
We will also be offering Basic, April 29 & 30, at Bolivar UMC. Basic is offered on Friday evening and all-day Saturday. Gary and Ann Kreider will teach that unless someone else would like the opportunity to be the instructor. Instructions on registration will be sent very soon. It will be posted on our Tusc. District site and the eocumc.com site. We will again use Eventbrite for our registration. More information is below...
Our Tuscarawas District Lay Servant Ministries Committee has dwindled in number so if you know of someone who would be interested in serving on the team please forward their name to us and we will notify the District Nominating Committee.
Gary and I will be meeting with our District Superintendent, Rev. Cara Stultz Costello, on February 22, so if you have any concerns or good ideas for our Lay Servant Ministries, we will pass them on at our meeting.
Because there is such a large number of Certified Lay Servants who need to renew this year it is our thought that Tusc. District LSM should offer many courses this year.
Tusc. District has four Certified Lay Speakers; and two Certified Lay Servants who need two more required Advanced courses to qualify to be Certified Lay Speakers.
Melanie Thomas, at the Conference Office, will post the courses being offered in all the EOUMC Districts. Courses can be taken in any district or online. She has posted the new 2022 catalog for Lay Servant Ministries which shows all the approved courses that can be offered and also those courses that are on the way.
Hopefully the Nominating Committee for Tusc. District will find our replacement since we are interim at this time.
Stay safely under His Wings,
Gary & Ann Kreider, Interim Directors for Tuscarawas District Lay Servant Ministries
Cell – Gary – 330-806-4648 Ann – 330-806-5247
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Basic Course Offering April 29-30, 2022 - Bolivar UMC |
This course is foundational for all courses in lay servant ministries. Participants are encouraged to discover and employ personal gifts as God intended and to consider the importance of exercising servant leadership, developing future leaders, remaining rooted in consistent spiritual practices, and being part of a group that holds members accountable in their discipleship. The Basic course is the first step required for becoming a certified lay servant. Step 2 requires taking an advanced course.
The Basic course is:
Friday evening, April 29th, 6pm-9pm, AND Saturday April 30th 8am-4:30pm
- Required book: "Lay Servant Ministries - Basic Course Participant's Book" by Sandy Jackson with Brian Jackson.
The course is available to anyone who would like to be a Lay Servant, or to be renewed as a Lay Servant if they haven’t taken a course for three years or anyone just interested on learning about The UMC, not necessarily wanting to be a Lay Servant.
To register please click here.
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Spring District Conference |
Mark Your Calendars! The Tuscarawas District Spring Conference and Leadership Training will be held on Saturday, April 23 at Crossroads UMC.
More information will be announced soon.
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Annual Conference 2022 ~ June 9-11 ~ Akron OH |
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Annual Conference 2022 is June 9-11 at the John S. Knight Center in Akron. This year’s theme is Let Us Live Love and the theme scripture is 1 John 4:7-13 (NIV). In preparing for this year’s sessions and services, the Annual Conference Program Committee is planning ways it will serve attendees in love while also creating opportunities for East Ohio clergy and laity to serve others in love.
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Bishop Tracy S. Malone invites all East Ohio Conference clergy actively serving in ministry to come together for a day of rest and renewal on Saturday, April 2 from 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Faith UMC in North Canton.
Clergy are serving and leading in stressful, exhausting, and difficult times. This Clergy Day Apart, designed by a team of active clergy, is an opportunity to feed your soul through reinvigorating worship, fellowship, self-care, and conversation. Clergy will hear a validating and empowering message from featured speaker the Rev. Twanda Prioleau and will participate in engaging breakout sessions designed to help you reflect, reconnect, re-center, and revel in your ministry. Rev. Prioleau is pastor of Christ UMC in East Baltimore, MD and author of the book Breathe: A Pastor’s Journey to Wholeness.
For more information click here! |
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EOC Office of Finance and Administration |
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Local Church Audits due March 31 |
All local church audits are due to the District Office no later than March 31.
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Each January, new lay servants enter into ministry with the church through our committees and teams. Providing training for persons who generously serve in this way honors their gift of time, energy and resources.
In this link you will find some helpful guides for training.
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East Ohio Conference Celebrates Black History Month in February
We encourage pastors, congregations, and faith communities to take time personally and in your communities to celebrate and reflect on the contributions of Black Americans. Whether it’s reflecting personally, learning on your own or with a group, or having conversations with African Americans the opportunities to grow are abundant.
You are invited to participate in an East Ohio Conference learning opportunity that will benefit you, your family, and your church small group. On four consecutive Mondays, beginning January 31, the Multicultural Ministries office will release a new installment of a study guide designed to teach elementary school-aged students, with adult help, to celebrate Black History. The guides will use material from “All In God’s Image: A Celebration of Black History and Diversity” which is a Sunday school resource released in 2021 that was written by Corinne Dunn an East Ohio lay person who is a professional Diversity Learning consultant and trainer. “I am excited that more people can engage in this revised format and different ages can learn together about African American history,” Dunn said.
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East Ohio Conference E-News |
Find the information about what is happening throughout the East Ohio Conference through the biweekly newsletter. From appointments to mission opportunities to events....
See the latest E-News from HERE.
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Spiritual Formation Trainings |
Trainings Available for Your Local Congregation
The purpose of the East Ohio Conference Spiritual Formation and Christian Education Committee is to support the discipleship ministries of East Ohio congregations in the areas of Christian Education and Spiritual formation for all age groups. We currently have the following topics available for training in your local congregation:
1. Safe Sanctuaries for the Local Church
2. Getting Messy Church Started in Your Setting
3. Offering Worship Engagement Manipulatives in Your Congregation
4. How Can Your Congregation Offer Sensory Sensitive Inclusiveness?
5. Creating a Race and Religion Forum in Your Congregation
6. Offering Outdoor Discipleship as a Way to Reach More People in Your Community
7. Hitting the Milestones with Children and Youth in Your Congregation
8. What Every Child and What Every Youth Should Experience
9. Training Effective Teachers
10. Developing a Discipleship Pathway for Your Congregation
A few other topics are in the works and will be available in the future:
1. Spiritual Formation and Christian Education in the Small Membership Church
2. Digital Discipleship
If you are interested in any of the above topics/training opportunities, please reach out to Rev. Gary Jones, Director of Spiritual Formation in the Connectional Ministries Office - [email protected] or 330-499-3972 ext. 120. |
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Around East Ohio & the Tuscarawas District |
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Labyrinth & Prayer Stations - Faith (North Canton) |
Faith United’s Labyrinth and Prayer Stations will be available to the community March 2 – March 9 in the chapel during church office and activity hours. Faith United is located at 300 9th ST NW, North Canton, Ohio 44720. For more information contact [email protected]
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The Conversation Book Study - Faith (North Canton) |
The Conversation Book Study, Wednesdays at 6:30 pm, March 9 – April 27, by Zoom and in person at North Canton Faith United Methodist Church.
Facilitators: Retired Judge Mike Howard and Krista L. Allison.
Loving your neighbor is action-oriented discipleship. Author Dr. Robert Livingston's approach to racial issues invites everyone to participate in a dialogue to bring about positive change for the entire community.
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Click here to view a video by Retired Judge Mike Howard to learn more about The Conversation Book Study.
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Click here to learn more about the study and the facilitators.
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Teach • Reach • Bless Campaign Reaches Goal of Collecting $1.5 Million; New Resident Hall for Female Students to be Built at Africa University |
Laity and clergy, working together, exceeded the goal of raising and collecting $1.5 million in support of the East Ohio Conference Teach • Reach • Bless campaign. The funds will be used to build a new residence hall that will house 90 female students on the campus of Africa University in Zimbabwe. By generously supporting the East Ohio Conference Teach • Reach • Bless campaign, donors showed their commitment to improving the education and wellness of women today for a better Africa tomorrow.
To read the entire article please click this link.
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The story of summer 2021 did indeed include some challenges and changes, but it was also a summer of great fun, faith formation, and renewal! Thank you for participating in and supporting Summer Camp 2021! At East Ohio Camps, we want every kid to have summer story full of fun, faith formation, adventure, and growth! Our hope is when your child tells the story of what they did this past summer they include a week of camp where, “I connected with great friends and great counselors, had fun adventures, learned new things, experienced God in nature, and now my faith is soaring!” And that is what we are planning for summer 2022! My hope is that you and your family will include East Ohio Camps as a chapter of the story of Summer 2022.
Blessings!
Rev. Gary W. Jones
Director of Spiritual Formation/Camps & Retreat Ministries
East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church
Registration is now open and camperships are being accepted! Please follow the links below to register for camp and download a Tuscarawas District Campership application.
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Wanake Camp & Retreat Center (in Beach City, Ohio) is seeking positive, flexible staff who love God, love people and love the out-of-doors to help share the Good News of Jesus in maintenance, housekeeping, lawn care, and food service (kitchen assistants and dish washers). These are year-round, part-time (20 hours or less/week) positions with flexible hours. Wages are based on skills and experience. Wanake serves retreat guests year-round and runs an overnight summer camp program.
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Now Hiring for Summer Positions at Wanake – Full-Time – Must be 18 years old or older – May through Early-August – applicants must be positive, flexible people who love God, love children/teens, and love the out-of-doors to help share the Good News of Jesus as counselors, lifeguards, support staff, and food service workers.
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Christ (Louisville) UMC is actively seeking two positions:
Director of Music Ministry. Responsibilities include leading two vocal choirs, and three hand bell choirs both for weekly rehearsals and one Sunday morning Worship Service.
Organist. Responsibilities would be to provide worshipful music for Sunday morning services and as requested play for special services. The organist may be asked to play for weddings, funerals, or other occasions.
Please send resume and references to: Christ United Methodist Church, Attn: Nancy Russell, 600 East Gorgas Street, Louisville, Ohio 44641
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Crosspoint UMC seeks a part-time Director of Youth Ministries who will develop and lead our Youth Program. A qualified applicant will be a spiritually mature person who has a solid understanding of the foundations of the Christian faith. Strong communication, organizational, leadership skills and a desire to directly work with, relate to and nurture youth in Christian faith is essential. A college degree in education or background in Christian education is preferred. Please send a cover letter and resume via email or 9687 Portage St. NW Massillon, OH 44646. A job description may be found on our website.
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Dueber UMC in Canton is seeking a Pianist to assist in leading Sunday morning worship. This position would involve playing for Sunday morning and other special worship services with an Organist. Duties also include playing for choir rehearsals on Wednesday evening and playing with the choir on Sunday mornings. It is not necessary, but would be preferred, if this position could also fill in on keyboard with the contemporary worship team when needed. Interested candidates may contact the church via e-mail or by calling (330) 456-8357.
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First (Dover) UMC is accepting resumes for our Church Pianist/Organist position. Responsibilities include (not limited to): accompanying and leading the congregation in the ministry of music and singing of hymns; accompanying the choir; working with the choir director on special music pieces; and choosing and playing appropriate and varied styles of organ/piano selections for Sunday Worship and special services. If you are interested, please e-mail your resume to the church Pastor. If you have questions, please contact the church office at (330) 343-1322.
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First (Massillon) UMC is seeking a Pianist that accompanies and rehearses with the Sanctuary Choir at weekly Thursday evening rehearsals. Accompanies the Sanctuary Choir at the 2nd service, three times each month. Does not play in June, July, or August (29 week schedule). If interested, please send your resume to: 301 Lincoln Way E, Massillon, OH 44646 or send via e-mail.
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Simpson UMC in Canton is actively seeking an Organist. Please contact Simpson via email.
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Dueber UMC has 3 HP Inkjet print cartridges – C6602A free to anyone who needs them. Please email Dueber for more information.
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Fairhope UMC has a free Black Toner Print Cartridge MP6054, for a Ricoh MP 4054 Copy Machine. Please email Fairhope for more information.
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Please submit your request for publication of an event, job ad, or announcement to Megan at [email protected] by Thursday at 12:00 noon to run in the following Monday
Tuscarawas Connexions. Please be aware that the less words the better and please note that flyers are not always easily readable in this format.
Please share this newsletter widely and encourage those that would like to receive it directly to share their contact email with the District Office.
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Tuscarawas Connexions
Official Publication of the Tuscarawas District East Ohio Conference —
The United Methodist Church
Tuscarawas District Office
8800 Cleveland Avenue NW, North Canton, OH 44720
Phone: (330) 499-3972 ext. 106
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