Tuscarawas Connexions
Bishop Tracy S. Malone Elected President-Designate of the Council of Bishops
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Bishop Thomas Bickerton, the residential bishop of New York Conference, was elected today as the next president of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church during the bishops’ online meeting via Zoom.
 
“It is very humbling to be asked to offer my leadership at this point in the church’s life and work,” Bishop Bickerton said after the election. “While the road ahead will no doubt present us with great challenges, I celebrate a faith which offers the firm assurance that God will provide us with the light we need to find the next step on the path. My prayer is that with grace and deep respect, we will continue to find ways to love one another as a response to God’s great love for us. I pledge to lead out of that same conviction and covet the prayers of the church as we embark on this journey together.”
 
Also elected were:
 
•        President-Designate: Bishop Tracy Smith Malone of East Ohio Conference
 
The current officers are Bishop Fierro Harvey, president; Bishop Bickerton, president-designate; and Bishop Tracy Malone as secretary. The new officers will take office at the end of the 2022 spring meeting of the Council of Bishops.
 
Bishop Harvey will serve as the immediate past president of the Council.
 

Bishop Harvey calls on COB to lead by love
 
As the COB began its virtual meeting Tuesday, the current president of the council, Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey called her colleagues to a time of leading by the example of love.
 
The bishops, meeting online because of the continuing world-wide pandemic, heard Bishop Harvey say, “It’s time to face the reality that our Big Tent is having trouble holding up to the winds of change.”
 
Bishop Harvey serves the Louisiana Annual Conference, which has seen more than its fair share of heavy winds, rain, and flooding in recent years.
 
The bishop said that the denomination is in a waiting period that began last year and is now extended to at least 2022, when the postponed 2020 General Conference is scheduled to meet. During this time of waiting, she said, there is the “potential to shift our focus from the very people we are called to serve.”
 
Quoting John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, Bishop Harvey said that for him, 1 John 4:19 was the “sum of the whole gospel: ‘We love God because God first loved us!’”
 
She urged all United Methodists to do the work of shaping a new future for the church led by love.
 
“There are many conversations taking place, many narratives being formed,” Bishop Harvey said. “It is time for us to join together and shape the future for the continuing United Methodist Church.”
 
Noting that United Methodists are called to do this work with head connected to heart, she said she believed that this is what will keep many people “in The United Methodist Church.”
 
“Our Methodist DNA calls us to love – to experience love, to be love in a world that does not know love. Love calls for civil discourse. Love calls for a heart of peace,” Bishop Harvey said.
 
“We must use this time well – with or without a General Conference and out of our love for one another – put our rhetoric aside,” she said, “and begin to work together so that the gospel has a chance of being proclaimed.”
 
Bishop Harvey made it clear that she is working hard to shape the continuing United Methodist Church.
 
“That is my call,” she said. “It honors my ordination and consecration vows. It is who I am. I am and will continue to be an Elder, a Bishop, in The United Methodist Church.”
Her prayer, she said, is that The United Methodist Church receives and honors the gifts of all of God’s children.
 
“Black, Brown, White, Asian, straight, gay, transgendered – ALL of God’s children – ALL of whom offer their gifts to God and to the church.”
 
And the bishop also wanted to make it clear that whatever a “future” United Methodist Church may look like, “you will have a home. If you consider yourselves liberal or evangelical, you will have a home. If you see yourselves as progressive or traditional, centrist or conservative, center-right or center-left, you will have a home in the Future United Methodist Church.”
 
And that’s because, she said, “that is what I believe the Kingdom of God looks like.”

Media Contact: Rev. Dr. Maidstone Mulenga
Director of Communications – Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church
202-748-5172
District News
As you all know, Megan will begin her new position of District Administrator of the Canal & Tuscarawas Districts beginning January 1, 2022. With this change will come a new email address for the district office. The new email will be CanalTuscDistOffice@eocumc.com and will go into effect on January 1. The current Tuscarawas District email will be monitored for 30 days. Please make sure that you update your address books within your email system.
2022 Budget and Year - End Reports
Reminder - 2022 Budgets are due to the District Office no later than December 1, 2021.

To all clergy & those that work on year-end reporting - the reports WILL NOT be submitted in EZRA. GCFA is working on releasing a new system that will be utilized conference wide. Once it is released, Brenda Vaccaro will be training district staff and all churches on the new system. We highly encourage you & your churches to print off a blank form or use the copy of last years forms to gather the information that is asked. So that come December and your books are closed, you will be prepared. With everyone being prepared, the new system up and running, & we have had the opportunity to come into each district to train everyone then hopefully the process will be quick and we can still meet deadlines.

More information will be shared with all of you when it is available.
Cara's Weekly Calendar

November 8: Sabbath

November 9: Meeting with DS Angela Lewis & Megan, District Strategizing & Completing District Profiles

November 10: North Central Jurisdictional Conference - Virtual

November 11: North Central Jurisdictional Conference - Virtual
Local Church Meeting & Lunch Meeting with potential deacon candidate

November 12: District Strategizing & Completing District Profiles

November 13: Local Church Breakfast

November 14: Worship on the District
Urban Action Team - Christmas Shop
The Tuscarawas District Urban Action Team is partnering with the Edward Peel Coleman Community Center to hold a Christmas Shop. The wonderful event provides local families an opportunity to select brand new toys and clothing for their children. They plan to serve 2,000 children in the community.

They are requesting support for this event by donating new toys. Below is a wish list of gifts they hope to collect. We are also asking you to promote our Christmas Shop by inviting your congregation, friends, and family to contribute. We will be providing presents for children ranging in age from birth to 12 years, so gifts of all kinds are welcome. If you prefer to shop on-line, items may also be purchased through the following link. Financial contributions are also helpful and will be used to purchase new clothes for the children as well.

Items collected may be delivered to the following churches up until December 8th.
  • Crossroads UMC
  • Fairhope UMC
  • Faith (North Canton) UMC
  • Mt. Tabor UMC
  • The Vine UMC

If you are bringing donations, please call the church in advance so they can prepare for your arrival. If you have any questions, please contact Mike Farmer via email.
Operation Christmas Child
If your church is participating in Operation Christmas Shoeboxes please send in your name to the District Office
Here are the churches so far that are participating in Operation Christmas Child:
  • Bolivar - they have currently packed over 200 boxes towards their 300 box goal!
  • Broadway - they collect, pack, & ship all year round! They will be had a packing party on November 4, packing 800-1,000 boxes!
  • Church of the Lakes - they are busy collecting, filling, and packing boxes to reach their goal of 300 boxes!
  • Dueber - they are busy collecting, filling, and packing boxes!
  • Epworth (Massillon) - they are busy collecting, filling, and packing boxes!
  • First (Dover) - they are busy collecting, filling, and packing boxes!
  • First (Massillon) - they are busy collecting, filling, and packing boxes!
  • First (Uhrichsville) - they are busy collecting, filling, and packing boxes!
  • Gnadenhutten - they are busy collecting, filling, and packing boxes!
  • Greentown - they held a packing party and blessed them on October 24!
  • Trinity (Perry Heights) - they are busy collecting and packing until November 21!
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.
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 - gary@eocumc.com or 330-499-3972 ext. 120.
Boy Scouts of America Update
Please click the image below to read the Updated Boy Scouts of America Information from Bishop Tracy S. Malone
Around East Ohio
TEACH • REACH • BLESS: 
The $1.5 million campaign to build a new dorm for female students at Africa University reinforces our East Ohio Conference commitment to the education and wellness of women today for a better Africa tomorrow. 

If your church is raising a special offering for Teach Reach Bless please let us know at the District Office so that you may recognized.

**If your church has mailed a check to the district office - please know that your contribution will be noted on the conference website list soon. We are working with the conference office to make sure that each church that contributes to our district challenge is recognized.**
Wanake Camp and Retreat Center – your United Methodist camp in Beach City, Ohio - is seeking dependable, flexible, positive workers for part-time positions in food service (mostly weekends/some week days), housekeeping (mostly week days), lifeguarding (weekend and week day), and camp counseling (week day).  To Apply/For more information visit www.campwanake.org. Have questions? Contact Wanake at info@campwanake.org or call 330-756-2333.
Positions Available
Broadway UMC in New Philadelphia is seeking a Youth Director. Person with validated training and experience in Youth Ministry to coordinate middle school and high school youth ministry.
Broadway seeks an individual who is spiritually mature, has a solid understanding of the foundations of the Christian faith, and who has a strong desire to nurture youth in the Christian faith. Submit resumes to bumc@broadway-umc.org or Pastor Harley Wheeler 120 Church Avenue SE New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663.
Christ UMC in Louisville, Ohio is actively seeking a new 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. Any questions, call Bruce Lautzenheiser 330.309.1756. Please send resume and references to: Christ United Methodist Church, Attn: Bruce Lautzenheiser, 600 East Gorgas Street, Louisville, Ohio 44641.
Simpson UMC in Canton is actively seeking an Organist. Please contact Simpson via email: secretary@simpsonumc.net.
Items Available
Church of the Lakes UMC has two free 10 ft. tall artificial Christmas trees available. If you are interested call the church office, 330-499-8972. 
Fairhope UMC has a free Black Toner Print Cartridge MP6054, for a Ricoh MP 4054 Copy Machine. Please email Fairhope for more information.
New Way UMC has two free sound/media booths available for pick up. The larger booth was from St. Paul's UMC in Canton, made from an organ console. Please call Keith Brown (330-949-6827) for more information.
Items Needed
Fairhope UMC is seeking extra round tables, about 5 ft. round, the size for a fellowship hall/banquet size, that no longer need, and in good condition. Contact Fairhope United Methodist Church at (330) 875-2028 or email us at myfairhopeumc@gmail.com.
Newcomers Chapel of Pigeon Run UMC is seeking hand bells for their newly formed Hand Bell Choir. Please contact Pastor Kim Vanoster (email) if your church has some available for purchase.
Please submit your request for publication of an event, job ad, or announcement to Megan at tuscdistoffice@eocumc.com by Thursday at 12:00 noon to run in the following Monday
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Please share this newsletter widely and encourage those that would like to receive it directly to share their contact email with the District Office.
Tuscarawas Connexions
Official Publication of the Tuscarawas District East Ohio Conference —
The United Methodist Church

Tuscarawas District Office
8800 Cleveland Avenue NW, Canton, OH 44720
Phone: (330) 499-3972 ext. 106
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