The theme for Annual Conference 2026 is “Celebrating Abundant Grace”, and the services and sessions will be grounded in the words of Matthew 14:13-21 that tell of Jesus feeding 5,000 with five loaves and two fish.
Worship Services
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.
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.
Celebrating Mission & Ministries – June 10
The Missions & Ministries Celebration Service at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10 will praise God for the ministries birthed through local EOC churches and supported by Conference grants.
Ministry Fair & Midwest Mission Collection Truck
The ministry fair 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. 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.
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 83 "Disciple Making: Church Redevelopment and Revitalization" features Rev. Jon Priebe, Rev. Joy Fenton-Jones, Rev. Beth Ortiz, and Eric Kinaitis engaging in conversation about the building redevelopment ministry of Church Square, based in Cuyahoga Falls.
“Having building redevelopment under revitalization might be a mental shift for some people, and it takes a really deep amount of discipleship at the beginning because it really involves looking at everything differently from your building to your church to how you do life together,” Ortiz said.
Priebe shared that “it’s interesting to think back about the process that led to who we are today and what we’re trying to do. Obviously the creative redevelopment of our building spaces into new things that can both generate revenue and meet new community needs that we’re not touching as well right now is a key piece of it.”
Listen to previous Storyboard podcast episodes.
View clergy and laity sharing their #BeUMC stories.
Annual Conference members return to The College of Wooster for worship, fellowship, business, and a time of renewal June 11-13. All sessions and services can be viewed at the livestream link in the above image.
You are invited to the Service of Commemoration and Holy Communion to celebrate faithful servants of Jesus who have entered the Church Triumphant. The service, in McGaw Chapel, begins at 9:00 a.m. Thursday, June 11.
Business Sessions and Bible Study
The Gault Recreation Center inside the Scot Center is the home for all business sessions mid-morning Thursday, June 11 through late afternoon Saturday, June 13. AC members can sit at any available table inside the venue. Eligible voters who registered online by the May 16 deadline will receive their voting device in their check-in packet.
Ray Buckley, the Center for First Nations Spirituality director and longtime faculty member of The Academy for Spiritual Formation, is our keynote Bible study leader. The sessions are scheduled for inside Gault Recreation Center immediately after lunch Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of Annual Conference.
Arriving on Campus
Signs on campus denote parking lots and direct walkers to the sites of services and sessions. A team of golf cart drivers will transport walkers across campus. Wear comfortable shoes, carry an umbrella in case it rains, have a jacket because the venues can be cool, and bring a cushion if you prefer using one.
MESSAGES FROM OUR EPISCOPAL LEADER: Bishop Hee-Soo Jung is resident bishop of the Ohio Episcopal Area consisting of the East Ohio and West Ohio Conferences of The United Methodist Church. View Bishop Jung’s Soul Food messages to Ohio laity and clergy.
OHIO EPISCOPAL AREA TASK TEAM:
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung formed the task team of East and West Ohio clergy and laity to actively listen, discuss, and discern about forming a new, unified Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church. Learn more about the Ohio Episcopal Area Task Team.
FIVE STRATEGIC PILLARS: emerged from conversations Bishop Jung has had with local churches across the Ohio Episcopal Area. They offer a shared vision and spiritual framework to guide our life together as “One Ohio” – rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and led by the Holy Spirit. Learn about the Five Pillars.
EOC STANDS AGAINST RACISM: Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, the Cabinet, Executive staff, and East Ohio laity and clergy are committed to stand against racism. Visit the Stand Against Racism resource page for small group studies, videos, podcasts, books, and more to learn how you can stand against racism.
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