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BISHOP'S OFFICE
We, the Cabinet of the East Ohio Annual Conference, remain convinced that we have abundant resources, a compelling mission, a meaningful legacy, and a bright future that continues to be discovered. There is no more strategic resource at our disposal than creating a missional match of pastoral gifts and congregational needs and aspirations for vital and effective ministry. With this reality ever present, we strive to make transformative appointments for the empowerment of local congregations and for the overall mission that we share “to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”
In recognizing the weight of our decisions and their impact upon everyone involved, we strive to be guided by the Holy Spirit, common sense, larger missional strategy, and the forms and materials produced annually by each church, pastor, and district superintendent.
It states in ¶ 202 of The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church 2016 that, “The local church is a strategic base from which Christians move out to the structures of society.” Therefore, enhancing and strengthening the ministry of the local church is of paramount importance for the overall mission of the Church. In our ministry of supervision it is our responsibility to appoint gifted pastors to serve local churches within our East Ohio Conference.
Each year there are pastoral moves. These are due to retirements, seminary graduation, growth in the church, or strategic needs in another congregation. Many circumstances can lead to the reappointment of a pastor and our ongoing consultation with the Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) assists our understanding of the needs, potential, and effectiveness of a pastoral appointment.
Whenever the Cabinet gathers to engage in appointment-making we begin with worship, prayer, and communion. Throughout the day, we pray often to lift up the specific congregation we are discussing and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we identify and evaluate potential pastoral leaders to serve there. Honest and seeking prayer undergirds every pastoral appointment.
Our discussions begin with the stated missional needs of the local congregation, which are identified through: our consultation process, the annual charge conference reports, and our individual impressions of the congregation. The input of every member of the Cabinet is valued as we identify, lift up, and evaluate the names of potential pastors to bring about the best possible match with the church. In doing so, we consider the entire pool of available clergy, including those appointed beyond the local church, those who may be seeking to relocate to this area from another annual conference, graduating seminary students, and local pastors who have the needed gifts and abilities.
Pastors are appointed to serve for one year at a time. Annually, each pastor and the congregation they currently serve are assessed to evaluate the missional needs, fruitfulness of ministry, and the potential for the continued match in the coming year. Understanding that there is neither a minimum nor maximum number of years that a pastor may serve in any appointment, it is our shared responsibility to ensure that the appointment: is fruitful in reaching new people, making disciples, and maturing the faith of those within the congregation and those in the wider community; and is engaging in effective mission and outreach.
As a Cabinet, we affirm our commitment to be bold and courageous in our ministry of appointment-making. Any pastor can be appointed to any church regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, physical ability, or any other dimension of their personhood. In addition, it needs to be noted that a new appointment does not always mean an increase in salary. At times a reduction in salary may be necessary to appoint the pastor who will be the best relational match with the local congregation. We recognize that this is a difficult reality for our pastoral families but our commitment to create good pastoral and congregational matches is our highest priority.
To God be the glory.
The East Ohio Conference Cabinet
Bishop Tracy S. Malone announces the following clergy appointments and/or changes of status
which, unless otherwise noted, are effective July 1, 2023.
2022-2023 Appointments |
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Pastor | Appointment | District | Effective |
Abby Auman | Strongsville UMC | NC | |
Norma Bates | Charlestown UMC | CN | 10/23/22 |
Peggy Garner | Minerva UMC | TW | 9/1/22 |
Karen Goss | East Liverpool First UMC | MV | 1/1/23 |
Nathan Howe | Kent UMC | CN | |
Allison LeBrun | Boardman UMC | MV | |
Tim Morrison | Chaplain, University of Mount Union | TW | 9/1/22 |
David Rinkes | Pleasant Grove, Tippecanoe & Londonderry UMCs | SH | 8/1/22 |
Shannon Sampson | Boundary Cooperative (Bayard, Carroll County Mt. Zion, Carroll County Pleasant Grove, East Rochester & New Franklin UMCs) | TW | 1/1/23 |
Donald Smith | Woodland Park & Girard First UMCs | MV | 1/1/23 |
Sondra Snode | Fields UMC | NC | |
Rebecca Stephens | Bucyrus UMC, co-lead pastor | MO | |
Victoria Troutman | Cardington Circuit: Center & Fairview UMCs | MO | 9/1/22 |
Christine Ulman | Boundary Cooperative (Bayard, Carroll County Mt. Zion, Carroll County Pleasant Grove, East Rochester & New Franklin UMCs) | TW | 1/1/23 |
Scott Walsh | Willoughby Hills UMC | WR |
2022-2023 Retirements |
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Pastor | Retiring From | District | Effective |
Gail Angel | Fredericktown UMC | TR | 6/30/23 |
Josh Arrington | Collins and West Hartland UMCs | FL | 6/30/23 |
Dogba Bass | Aldersgate UMC | NC | 6/30/23 |
Max Beery | Willoughby Hills UMC | WR | 6/30/23 |
Diane Bell | Milan Edison Memorial & Sandusky Trinity UMCs | FL | 6/30/23 |
Layton Broome | Hayesville & Lakefork UMCs | MO | 6/30/23 |
Mollie Brown | Westlake UMC | NC | 6/30/23 |
David Cann | Oberlin Rust & Oberlin First UMCs | FL | 6/30/23 |
Kevin Coleman | Community UMC | NC | 6/30/23 |
Marilyn Coney | Tiffin Faith UMC | FL | 6/30/23 |
Michael Corwin | Bucyrus UMC | MO | 6/30/23 |
Lee Cubie | Mt. Vernon Hopewell UMC | TR | 1/1/23 |
James Ellis | Brighton, Nova & Rochester UMCs | FL | 6/30/23 |
Kenneth Gifford | Poland & Youngstown Trinity UMCs | MV | 6/30/23 |
Thomas Joyce | Fields UMC | NC | 6/30/23 |
Jerry Krueger | Boardman First UMC | MV | 6/30/23 |
Teresa Krueger | Ohltown UMC | MV | 6/30/23 |
David R. Miller | North Bloomfield & Orwell UMCs | WR | 7/1/22 |
Brian Oglesbee | Norwalk First UMC | FL | 6/30/23 |
David Palmer | Kent First UMC | CN | 6/30/23 |
David Scavuzzo | Strongsville UMC | NC | 6/30/23 |
T. Mark Slay | Kennonsburg UMC | SH | 6/30/23 |
David J. Smith | Johnsville Grace & Steam Corners UMCs | MO | 6/30/23 |
Steven M. Smith | Cambridge Christ UMC | SH | 6/30/23 |
Ruth Trigg | Rittman UMC | CN | 6/30/23 |
2022-2023 Concluding Ministries |
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Concluding Ministries denotes those clergy retiring from an appointment they accepted after having previously retired; and retiring Local Pastors who have either not completed the five-year Course of Study or have not served 10 years of service without interruption as an Episcopal-appointed Local Pastor. |
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Pastor | Concluding From | District | Effective |
Frank Zugaro | Charlestown UMC | TW | 9/30/22 |
Michael Padula | Tiffin Harmony UMC | FL | 1/1/23 |
Raymond Robert Miller | East Palestine Centenary UMC | MV | 1/1/23 |
Bishop Tracy S. Malone
Resident Bishop to the
East Ohio Conference
E-mail
Melissa McGee
Executive Secretary to the Bishop
Ext. 112
E-mail
Rev. Ed Peterson
Executive Assistant to the Bishop
Ext. 111
E-mail
The East Ohio Conference Office:
located in North Canton, OH,
near Akron-Canton Airport.
Address:
8800 Cleveland Ave. NW
North Canton, OH 44720
Phones:
Local: (330) 499-3972
Toll Free: (800) 831-3972
Office Hours:
Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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