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.

United Women in Faith Fall Extravaganza 

Join the Braden UMC United Women in Faith for a delightful Fall Extravaganza, a time for fellowship, inspiration, and connection. Our event will feature a keynote address and the testimonies of women who will share insights and encouragement for women of faith.

Keynote Speaker: Elder LaToya Williams, of The Worship Center

Our keynote speaker will present how We are the Apple of God's Eye and how he protects us.

Event Highlights:

• Delicious fall lunch & baked potato bar

• Uplifting keynote address

• Opportunity to shop and support local vendors

• Fellowship with other women from our community

Vendors:

Browse a variety of booths showcasing local women-owned crafts, and businesses. This is a perfect opportunity to support local vendors and discover unique products.

RSVP:

Please RSVP HERE by September 13th to ensure your spot at this special event.

Come and be part of this wonderful gathering. We look forward to seeing you there!

SCRAP Festival - Gleaning Ministry

The Annual SCRAP (Sandusky County Restorers of Antique Power) festival is coming up in Gibsonburg this Labor Day weekend and the Gleaning Ministry Team could use your help! The team is famous for selling fried bologna sandwiches (and Roots products) there. They are looking for people to take a three hour shift grilling bologna or serving sandwiches. There are 4 spots available each shift so feel free to sign up your family or group from church. Contact Debbie Mills at 419-276-9218 or the district office at 419-897-9770 with any questions. If you aren't able to help, still come out for a sandwich and support the ministry!

The Friendly Center will have pie and ice cream there too!

Click here to view opportunities and Sign-up

Click here to view SCRAP Flyer

2025 WOC Go Grants

2025 Go Grant Applications will be available from Sept 1 – Oct 15!

Need help brainstorming your Go Grant ideas? Have questions about your Go Grant ideas? Join us for a WhiteBoard Zoom sessions over your lunch hour at one of the following dates:

Wednesdays at noon. Click on the date to register: 8.14.24 | 8.21.24 | 8.28.24 | 9.4.24

Feel free to check out our Q&A page on our website. We offer answers to our most frequently asked questions about Go Grants.

For a list of the ideas, please click here to see the 2024 Go Grant recipients.

It’s Stewardship Season!

With mid-August upon us, many pastors and church leaders are beginning to think about annual stewardship campaigns. Many are finding themselves in the same place they were last year: unsure what to do, unsure what to say, and generally feeling like it’s time for the annual doctor’s checkup: everyone knows it’s good for them, but no one wants to go!

Don’t be that church!

The United Methodist Foundation of West Ohio is YOUR go-to resource for stewardship education information. If you need help with this year’s campaign, give us a call and we will discuss it with you.



If you just want to get through this year but know that changes are needed, our program, Generosity Abounds! is free to any church to use. It is NOT a plug and play one-size fits all annual campaign package. It’s a step-by-step guide to help you increase discipleship and engagement and start on a path to creating a culture of generosity in your church. The best time to start this program is about a year in advance of when you want to start seeing results. So start now for next year! We can walk you through it or you can do it on your own. Find out more at https://umfwestohio.org/services-for-churches/stewardship-education-resources/ or give us a call.

Olive Branch Laundry Ministry Serves Unhoused

Over 25 days, the Olive Branch laundry ministry served 140 clients and washed 233 loads of laundry. This ministry of St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church serves the unhoused in one of the lowest economic communities of Findlay, Ohio.

Six years ago, St. Andrew’s UMC began exploring the possibility of launching a laundry ministry. The process began with a series of “visioning” meetings. A laundry ministry in the church annex was the answer.

Working in education, Sue Freel saw children arrive at school in dirty clothes, which impacted their learning. She said, “They arrived already behind.” Sue Freel and her husband, James help lead this ministry.

The St. Andrew’s United Women of Faith group provided initial support by raising $13,000 through an auction project. But when construction began, issues arose with the dated structure and building codes, delaying the opening. In the meantime, Olive Branch served as a warming center in January.

Financial support for the ministry came through a Go Grant! from the West Ohio Conference and a grant from the Community Foundation. The Whirlpool Appliances Factory in Findlay donated commercial washers and dryers, while Procter and Gamble donated laundry supplies for the life of the ministry.

Olive Branch clients are diverse in age and culture. Two clients are a couple in their 60s whose finances were drastically impacted by medical debt. Through Olive Branch, the couple saves money by not going to a laundromat. Money saved can be used to purchase groceries and other life essentials.

“We have a large group of homeless people in our community, and they deserve to have clean clothes,” Sue Freel said. Fourteen volunteers serve this ministry. “They’ve endured some bumps and bruises along the way. They are the best,” James Freel said.

It wasn’t an easy journey but, according to the Freels, it was worth it. “Encountering problems along the way makes you fight harder and makes this a strong ministry,” Sue Freel declared.



Shared from WOC NewsNET - Written by Amy Graham, Freelance Writer

Foundation Offering Townhall with Investment Manager

The Foundation will be offering a virtual town hall with our partners at Wespath Institutional Investments on August 20^th at 6:00PM. Foundation staff and Wespath representatives will delve into the current state of the markets, investment performance, and answer questions about endowment management. The Foundation encourages those with assets invested through the Foundation to attend, as well as those who are interested in potentially investing with the Foundation. To access the zoom link, click here: Join Zoom Meeting.

Education and Engagement Opportunities through the UMFWO

Saving Grace: A Guide to Financial Well-Being – we’re excited that Wespath is providing an online version of this course open to anyone this fall, starting soon on September 9. Financial literacy is one of our stewardship standards, so we highly recommend this for any church leader who wants to provide the class in their church next year.

Financial Leadership for Churches – this comprehensive course with content similar to our Generosity Abounds program is offered through Garrett Theological Seminary. It is pricey but you can get 2 CEUs and take another person. Call us if you want to attend and we can discuss scholarships. There is also a $500 incentive program for attendees who qualify.

Cultivating the Craft of Asking - develop your skills and confidence in asking donors for financial support. Through the five online sessions, you will learn techniques to help you deepen donor relationships to connect vision to mission while actively making progress on your own ministry goals – from a capital campaign to funding mission work. Provided through Myte Ministries.

The Foundation has lots of other resources we can share with you. Just give us a call to discuss your needs so we can make tailored recommendations.

sblack@wocumc.org  380-223-9257

West Ohio UMC Leaders on College Campuses Welcome New Students

It is almost time to head back to school. Your high school students are probably conditioning for fall sports and activities while your college students are getting dorm supplies ready.



What you may not realize is there are several campus ministries connected to West Ohio. To help connect your college students, we wanted to make sure you have contact information for ministers who provide spiritual support on college campuses within West Ohio and local congregations with robust young adult ministries in areas where your students may be headed.

We encourage you to share this with students headed out for college in a few weeks. Each of the leaders listed would love to connect with students before they even hit campus to help them acclimate to the area, have a listening ear before they arrive, and begin to build community with students already present. For more information and a list of campuses with West Ohio leaders, click here.

The correct email address for the director at the University of Toledo is tcmexecutivedirector@gmail.com.

All In Community - Fall Offerings

Please see the attached flyers for information on events that the All in Community Team will be hosting this fall.

Lunch, Learn & Live Well Workshops

Resilience Clergy Retreats

Trauma Resilience Worship Arts Workshops

Communities Against Violence March

Saturday, August 17 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Smith Park, 998 Dorr St. 

2nd Annual Communities Against Violence March and Unity Day

Free, open to all. Sign up here.

Printable Flyer Here--please publicize widely!

Sponsored by Sisters 4 Unity. Contact them at 513-215-0045 or by email. 

All In Community - Ministry Monday

In August at All In Community’s Ministry Monday information session, Reba Collins will be sharing a SNEAK PEEK of what will be available at this year’s Building Bridges of Opportunity Community Experience: Bridging Pathways to Hope.

The purpose of the Community Experience is to convene Ohio’s reentry community to provide high quality reentry education, emerging Ohio reintegration efforts, reintegration best practices, network opportunities, environments for sharing ideas, and advocacy opportunities for systemic reform.

Join Reba and others on Monday, August 26, beginning at 7:00pm on ZOOM.

ADVANCED REGISTRATION REQUIRED 

https://qrco.de/bfF6or 

Cost:   FREE

Printable Flyer

Questions and requests for the ZOOM link can be directed to Jami Nathan, AIC Ministries Coordinator, by email (jami.nathan.22@gmail.com) or by phone (419-591-9717).

Toledo CROP Hunger Walk - September 22

The Toledo CROP Hunger Walk, partnered with Church World Service, raises funds to end hunger and poverty around the block and around the world, one step at a time. Twenty-five percent of the funds raised stays in our community to support the good work of Rocket Fuel - the food pantry that serves students in need at the University of Toledo.

Join us on Sunday, September 22nd for an experiential event with educational activities along the route and a beautiful walk around the University of Toledo campus. Meet at the Toledo Campus Ministry building at 2086 Brookdale Rd, Toledo, OH at 1pm for registration. The walk begins at 2pm.

Team Captain Training - will be held on Thursday, August 15th at 6:30pm at Sylvania First UMC, 7000 Erie St. At least one representative from each congregation/group needs to attend this training.

For more information on the walk or Church World Service, please see the printable flyer HERE.

Healthy Boundaries/Clergy Sexual Ethics/Safer Sanctuaries - Essential Trainings

On behalf of the Episcopal Office and the Board of Ordained Ministry, we are pleased to invite you to an essential training event designed for both lay staff and clergy. This event aims to reinforce our commitment to maintaining safe and respectful environments within our communities. We encourage clergy to invite one key lay staff person to attend the Safer Sanctuaries Training with you for the afternoon session.

All Clergy under appointment, including those in Extension Ministries, Lay Pulpit Supply, and all Certified Lay Ministers within the West Ohio Conference, are now required to undergo a comprehensive background check every four years. Clergy on Leave of Absence are also encouraged to participate in the training and background check updates as they are able.

To facilitate this, please register for your preferred training event and complete the "Permission to Release Information" form by August 15, 2024, which can be found here: Background Check Form. The required training is to be fully completed by November 21, 2024.

Scheduled Dates and Locations: 

• October 17, 2024: Ginghamsburg Church - Hosted by Pastor Dennis Miller Register Here
• October 18, 2024: Christ Church - Hosted by Pastor Brian Law Register Here
• October 19, 2024: Athens First UMC – Hosted by Pastors Robbie Scott and Victoria Burgoon Register Here
• October 22, 2024: Chillicothe Trinity Church - Hosted by Pastor Wes Souders Register Here
• October 23, 2024: Lancaster First Church - Hosted by Pastor Nikki Baker Register Here
• October 24, 2024: Toledo Epworth - Hosted by Pastor Cecil Thompson Register Here
• October 29, 2024: Christ Church (Makeup Date) - Hosted by Pastor F. Willis Johnson Register Here
• November 1: Digital training becomes available. Those who register for this option will be able to complete the training online beginning November 1. Register Here

For questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Susan Thomas (sthomas@wocumc.org) or Rev. Donnetta Peaks (dpeaks@wocumc.org).

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.

Upcoming Lay Servant Ministries Classes

Lay Ministry is the work of mission or ministry to which each believer is called. As Christians we are all called to this ministry or priesthood – not just clergy. Each of us has a responsibility to proclaim the Good News and reach out to others in love.



Lay Pastoral Care Giving: August 18, 20, 22, 25, 27 from 6:30-8:30pm on Zoom only. Sponsored by the Great Miami River District. Register

United Methodist Polity: Friday, August 23 from 6-8pm (Zoom) & Saturday, August 24 from 9am-5pm (either in person at the Hocking River District office or by Zoom). Register

Public Prayer: September 8, 10, 11, 15, 17 from 6:30-8:30pm on Zoom only. Sponsored by the Great Miami River District. Registration opens July 29.

Introduction to Lay Servant Ministries (Basic Course): Friday, October 11 from 6-8pm (Zoom) & Saturday, October 12 from 9am-5pm (either in person at the Hocking River District office or by Zoom). Registration opens September 2.

A reminder: Even if you have completed the Basic Course and all of the Core Courses, you need to take an Advanced Course every 3 years as part of maintaining your certification. Not sure what you need next? Contact Michelle at the district office - 419-897-9770 or mrobinson@wocumc.org

HealthFlex Participants - Don't Leave Money on the Table

You can avoid a higher 2025 HealthFlex deductible and earn $100 of Pulse Cash by completing the Health Check questionnaire and the Blueprint for Wellness® screening by August 31.

Schedule the Blueprint for Wellness by logging in to your Virgin Pulse account at virginpulse.com/login or via the app. Select the “Benefits” tab and then search for Quest Blueprint for Wellness Screening. You can also call 1-855-623-9355 to register.

The deadline is August 31, so don’t wait!

In order to receive incentives for completing the Blueprint for Wellness, you must register with Virgin Pulse. Not registered for Virgin Pulse? Click here to sign up.

Church Reporting

Annual Reporting

The information for the church and clergy Annual Reports has also been updated recently and is available for access. These reports include the Fund Balance Report, Trustee Legal & Property Report and Parsonage Inspection. They can be found by clicking HERE. They were due June 1st. If your reports are submitted/uploaded, thank you! If they are not, please get them submitted as soon as possible.

For questions about these reports contact Michelle at the district office, mrobinson@wocumc.org.

Styrofoam Recycling

Did you know some Styrofoam can be recycled? Don't feel bad. Most people are not aware of this as well. Lott Industries has a method by which #6 Styrofoam can be recycled. #6 Styrofoam is the rigid kind that is used in packaging things like appliances and televisions. Many coolers are made of #6 Styrofoam.

The Church of St. Andrew UMC in Toledo has become a satellite collection place to collect Styrofoam and is partnering with Lott Industries to help get this information out to prevent #6 Styrofoam from going into landfills where it will remain forever. 30% of all material that goes into landfills is Styrofoam.  

Lott Industries is a non-profit community rehabilitation service provider serving disabled and disadvantaged adults since 1955. Recycling clean white Styrofoam provides vocational habilitation training and income to employees served by Lott. Selling recycled materials such as #6 Styrofoam is a key source of revenue for Lott employees’ payroll and Lott habilitation programs.

To get more information about:

• Lott Industries
• The Styrofoam project
• Becoming a satellite collection place

Contact: Paul Wood. Home: 419-865-1934, Mobile: 419-356-9002

Drop off: Church of St Andrew - 3620 Heatherdowns Blvd, Toledo, OH 43614

SCRAP METAL DRIVE - YEAR ROUND SERVICE

Do you have an antenna down from a storm? Got sheet metal, or a chain-link fence you’ve wanted to take down? Here’s your chance to do good while cleaning up from a storm or cleaning out the garage, attic, basement, shed, backyard, etc.

Trinity United Methodist Church’s Scrap Metal Drive - All METAL accepted. A dumpster is located in the parking lot at Putnam County Council on Aging, 1425 E. Fourth Street Ottawa, waiting for your cast-offs. All proceeds will go to Trustee projects at Trinity United Methodist Church. Call 419-523-6496 for more information.

ABSOLUTELY NO TV’S, COMPUTER MONITORS, PAINT, TIRES, MATRESSES/BOX SPRINGS or AEROSOL CANS ACCEPTED.     

Rev. Jack Chalk

Rev. Jerry Sutton

Rev. Mickey Alan Kimball

Toledo Hope UMC: Director of Children/Youth Ministry – Hope United Methodist Church in Toledo, Ohio is a church “on the grow” and is currently seeking a part-time Director of Children/Youth Ministry. This person should have leadership and decision-making skills, be willing to build a team of servants and love being around young people. If you are interested in more information about this exciting position, please contact Pastor Diane @ (419-475-5036) or pastordmendelson@toledohope.com.

The Maumee River District Office is open from 9:00am-4:30pm Monday-Thursday. The office is 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.