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BISHOP'S OFFICE

Core Values of Appointment Making by the East Ohio Conference Cabinet

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

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2022 Appointments/Changes of Status

Bishop Tracy S. Malone announces the following 2022 clergy appointments and/or changes of status.
Each is effective 7/1/22 unless otherwise noted.

Districts: (CN) Canal · (FL) Firelands · (MO) Mid-Ohio · (MV) Mahoning Valley · (NC) North Coast · (OV) Ohio Valley 
(SH) Southern Hills · (TR) Three Rivers · (TW) Tuscarawas · (WR) Western Reserve

2021-2022 Appointments
Pastor	Appointment	District	Effective
Bob Alexander	South Vernon UMC	TR
Steve Bailey	University Circle UMC	NC
Gordon Blickle	Pearl Road UMC	NC
Phil Bliss	Bellaire First UMC	OV	5/1/2022
Brad Bloomster	Smith Corners & West Austintown First UMCs	MV
Linda Bradley	New Franklin, Bayard, East Rochester, Mt. Zion, & Pleasant Grove UMCs	TW
Kelly Brown	District Superintendent	TR, OV
Wendy Brown	Granger UMC	CN
Stephen Browning	Smithfield UMC	OV
Byron Bufkin	Salem First UMC	MV
Pamela Buzalka	Mogadore UMC	CN
Gerald Cameron	Celebration UMC	NC
John Carpenter	Cardington First UMC	MO
Jeff Conley	Crossroads: Harmont UMC	TW	3/1/22
Lisa Courtright	Rogers UMC	MV
Jennifer Darling-Mellott	Moreland UMC	TR
Rick Dawson	Mt. Pleasant UMC	OV
Matt Darrin	Howland, Tod Avenue, Hubbard, & Warren Grace UMCs	MV	1/1/22
Ron Dixon	Toronto First UMC	OV
Lee Ann Dunlap	McConnelsville McKendree, McConnelsville Grace, McConnelsville Pisgah, & McConnelsville Trinity UMCs	SH	11/15/21
Alexandra Dutton	Chagrin Falls UMC – Associate Pastor	NC
William Eckert	Bolivar & Asbury UMCs	TW
Josh Elliott	Streetsboro & Twinsburg Faith UMCs	NC
Steve Engle	Mt. Carmel & Vickery UMCs	FL
Rebecca Evanoff	Northampton UMC	CN
Michael Farmer	Crossroads UMC & Canton for All People Extension Ministry	TW	3/1/22
Kimmy Farone	Perry UMC	WR
John Fitch	Damascus UMC	MV
Barry French	Warren Grace UMC	MV
Lindsey Funtik	Chapel Hill & Three Crosses UMCs	MO
Tina Gallaher	Atwater, Deerfield, Palmyra, & Pricetown UMCs	CN/MV
Georgette Gaston	Cambridge Faith, Cambridge First, & Cambridge Center UMCs	SH
Jim Gaston	Cambridge Faith, Cambridge First, & Cambridge Center UMCs	SH
P. Wes George	Dover First UMC	TW
Carolyn Greene	Perrysville & Bigelow UMCs	TR	2/1/22
Aimee Hare	Clearview, Uniontown, & Greentown UMCs	CN
Bruce Hartley	Hudson UMC	CN
David Haydu	Park & Lake Brady UMCs	CN
Bruce Hitchcock	District Superintendent	NC
James C. Jensen, Jr.	Medical Leave	CN	1/1/22
Bill Johnson	Sugarcreek & Dundee UMCs	TR
Neal Keller	Stow UMC - Lead Pastor	CN
Charles Kettering	Empire UMC	OV	12/1/21
Derek Kubilus	Ashland First UMC	MO
Lisa Kropinak	Bay UMC	NC
Christina LaLonde	Cornerstone & Elyria Zion UMCs	FL
James Lance	Smithville & Church of the Cross UMCs	CN
Michael Law	Williamsport & Harmony Chapel UMCs	MO
Doug Lewis	Western Reserve UMC	MV
T. Christopher Liberati	Mt. Vernon Gay Street UMC	TR
Aaron Linard	Malvern & Centenary UMCs	TW
James MacDonald	New Washington & Tiro UMCs	FL
Leslie Mahaney	Nevada & Scioto UMCs	MO
Heather McLeod	Galion Christ & Blooming Grove UMCs	MO
Matthew Merriman	Brunswick UMC	NC
David Miller	Madison Park UMC	WR
Donna Mills	Rootstown UMC	CN
Samuel Mohn	Vienna & Coalburg UMCs	MV
Roger Morrow	Smith Chapel UMC	SH	12/1/21
Nestor Nazario	District Superintendent	MO, FL
Deborah Nees	Christ Woodland UMC – Interim	CN	1/1/22
Mike Nicholich	Fairhope UMC	TW
Amy Ochier	Clyde First & Green Springs UMCs	FL
David Oliver	Massillon First UMC	TW
Katherine Osier	Delaware Asbury UMC	MO
Michael Padula	Tiffin Harmony & Willard First UMCs	FL
Vernon Palo	Saybrook & Plymouth UMCs	WR
Michael Parisher	Nehemiah Mission	NC
Virginia Park	Pleasant Ridge UMC	FL
Kristen Patt	Willoughby & North Mentor Centenary UMCs	WR
J. Harlen Rife	Greensburg UMC	CN
Ruth Roth	Lodi UMC	FL
Kory Rowland	Uhrichsville First, Midvale, & Newport UMCs	TW
Shannon Sampson	New Franklin, Bayard, East Rochester, Mt. Zion, & Pleasant Grove UMCs	TW
Terry Schmelzenbaugh	Stafford UMC	SH	8/1/21
Thomas Scott	Richmond UMC	OV
Sheryl Seitz	Galion St. Paul UMC	MO
Amy Shaw	Greentown UMC	TW	1/1/22
Amy Shaw	Clearview, Uniontown, & Greentown UMCs	CN/TW
Carol Smith	Burbank Faith UMC	FL
Patrick Smith	Lisbon, North Lima Calvary, & New Waterford UMCs	MV	1/1/22
Steven Smith	Cambridge Christ UMC	SH	1/1/22
David Smithey	Mt. Zion UMC	MO
Edna Stahl	Lexington Church of the Cross UMC	MO
David St. Aubin	Thoburn UMC	OV
Jeffrey Stoll	Gageville UMC	WR
Sandra Stover	Edison, Iberia & Ebeneezer UMCs	MO
Michael Swab	Stow UMC	CN
Marc Tibbs	Centenary UMC	CN	2/1/22
Paul Turner	Mansfield Trinity UMC	MO
Charles Tyler, Sr.	Celebration UMC	NC	1/1/22
Donna Van Trees	District Superintendent Associate	FL
Matthew Wald	Strasburg & Wilmot UMCs	TW
Elizabeth Weed	Palmyra UMC	MV	1/1/22
Elizabeth Weed	Jefferson UMC	WR
Laura White	District Superintendent	SH, OV
Paul White	Crystal Park UMC	TW
David Whitt	Lakemore UMC	CN
Philip Wilden	New Concord UMC	SH
Jonathan Williams	Cortland & Fowler UMCs	MV
Matt Wilson	Canal Lewisville & Prairie Chapel UMCs	TR	8/1/2022
Paul Wilson	Middlefield UMC	WR
Hyeran Yu	Wellington First UMC	FL
Frank Zugaro	Charlestown UMC	CN

2021-2022 Retirements
Pastor	Retiring From	District	Effective
Russell Adams	Western Reserve & Good Shepherd UMCs	MV
Allan Bevere	Ashland First UMC	MO
Karen Cico	Lighthouse UMC	WR
Karen Drotar	Stow UMC	CN
Thomas Fish	North Lawrence Chapel Cross	CN
Jeffrey Gindlesberger	Lakemore UMC	CN
William Graham	Extension Ministry: Dir., Camp Asbury	WR	12/31/21
Ronald Heasley	Roxford UMC	TW
Mitchael Hennessey	Medical Leave
Patricia Humphress	Chatham UMC	FL
Thomas L. Jones	Thoburn UMC	OV
Peter Kerlin	Medical Leave	MV
Michael Mack	Mansfield Trinity UMC	MO
Jonathan McCleery	Bay UMC	NC
Karen Oehl	Mt. Vernon Gay Street UMC	TR
Neil Orchard	Alliance Salem UMC	TW
Joan Purnell	Cortland UMC	WR
Donald Richards	Rootstown UMC	CN
Thomas Shaw	Brunswick UMC	NC
DeWayne Smith	Newton Falls & Pricetown UMCs	MV
Thomas D. Snyder	Medical Leave	MO
Clark Stein	Hudson UMC	CN
Jeff Stoll	Saybrook & Plymouth UMCs	WR
Erwin Urschitz	Middlefield UMC	WR
Roger Warnes	Bisel & Holmes UMCs	TW
Ashwin Welch	Galion St. Paul UMC	MO
Doug Winner	Jefferson UMC	WR
Frank Woodrum	Burton City & East Greenville UMCs	CN

2021-2022 Concluding Ministries
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.
Pastor	Concluding From	District	Effective
Janet Boyd	Perrysville & Bigelow UMCs	TR	12/31/21
Gerald Cameron	Celebration UMC	NC	12/31/21
Les Peine	Massillon Epworth UMC	TW
Thomas Thomas	Rayland & Yorkville UMCs	OV
Frank Zugaro	Damascus UMC	MV