East Ohio Conference E-News

February 1, 2012

● Appointments

Bishop Hopkins has made the following ad-interim appointments:

Effective August 1, 2011…
Pastor Kyle Bucholz to Batemantown & Berlin UMCs in the Three Rivers District
Rev. Theodore Buehl to North Liberty UMC in the Mid-Ohio District

Effective September 1, 2011…
Rev. Elliott Bush to Hopewell UMC in the Three Rivers District

Effective September 15, 2011…
Rev. Stephanie Lee to Akron Holy Trinity & Akron Centenary UMCs in the Canal District

Effective October 1, 2011…
Rev. Robin Craig to Nankin Federated Church in the Mid-Ohio District;

Effective October 9, 2011…
Pastor Kathy Barton to the Lisbon, Elkton & Negley UMCs in the Mahoning Valley District

Effective October 16, 2011…
Rev. David Hill to Lockwood UMC in the Mahoning Valley District

Effective November 1, 2011…
Mrs. Carla Davies to McDonald UMC in the Mahoning Valley District
Pastor Darlene Smiley-Masetta to Lowellville UMC in the Mahoning Valley District
Rev. Ji Song Lee to Canton Korean UMC in the Tuscarawas District

Effective December 1, 2011…
Rev. Carolyn Carman to Green Valley Chapel UMC in the Three Rivers District 2011
Pastor Frank Hudson to Buena Vista UMC in the Ohio Valley District

Effective December 15, 2011…
Mr. James Rhodes to Mt. Zion (Columbiana) UMC in the Mahoning Valley District
Mrs. Elaine Weaver to New Franklin UMC in the Mahoning Valley District

Effective January 1, 2012…
Rev. Scott Blevins to New Washington UMC in the Firelands District
Pastor Wilbur Bragg to Cambridge Christ UMC Associate in the Southern Hills District
Pastor Richard Cox to Barnesville Main & Pleasant Ridge UMCs in the Southern Hills District
Rev. William Harvey to Perry Heights Trinity UMC in the Tuscarawas District
Rev. Garry Hogue to Hills UMC in the Southern Hills District
Rev. Robert Hooker to Brooks Run UMC in the Ohio Valley District
Rev. Melvin Lindberg to Justus UMC in the Tuscarawas District
Pastor Chester Rupert to Dennison Good Shepherd UMC in the Tuscarawas District
Mr. Ken Smailes to Killbuck UMC in the Three Rivers District
Rev. Larry Snodgrass to Perry Heights Trinity UMC in the Tuscarawas District
Rev. Carol Touvell to Batesville UMC in the Southern Hills District

Effective January 15, 2012…
Pastor Patricia Silva to Chatham Federated Church in the Firelands District
Rev. Stephen Sparling to Ravenna UMC in the Canal District
Rev. Ronald Spore to Youngstown Trinity UMC in the Mahoning Valley District

Effective February 1, 2012…
Rev. David Rittgers to Leroy UMC in the Firelands District

Effective July 1, 2012
Rev. Abby Auman to Greensburg UMC in the Canal District
Rev. Hoyte Wilhelm to Hudson UMC in the Canal District

Change of Status
Wayne Scott to involuntary leave of absence

● Communications News

The latest issue of Joining Hands is available online. The online issue contains articles not available in the print edition of Joining Hands Speak Now!. Bishop Hopkins shares The 10 Things You Need to Know about the Call to Action. Read the chilling, first-hand account of Marlene's life as a human sex slave and her efforts to stop others from being victimized. Learn what’s on the mind of pastors and laity as they share their unique perspectives on the Study of Ministry, the Church’s stance on human sexuality and much more. It is just a mouse click away. ►

February 23
Website Workshop – WordPress Registration is closed.
Is your church in need of a website? Does your church have limited funding and web expertise? The East Ohio Communications Office is offering a workshop illustrating the ease and cost effectiveness in which a website can be created using WordPress – without buying software or hiring additional staff.
Sue Zakovec, conference web/graphics designer, will share tips on good practices for website design, navigation and content while she teaches the ins and outs of web publishing in WordPress. The Communication Office will also offer follow-up support to those participants who may need additional assistance in building their site in WordPress.
The workshop is scheduled for Thursday, February 23 from 9 am to 3 pm at the Area Center in North Canton. For further information or to register for the workshop please e-mail sue@eocumc.com. Seating is limited to insure that each participant will receive individual attention. Registration is closed!

● Treasurer's Office/Benefits Office

Payroll Tax Holiday
Congress passed a last-minute extension of the payroll tax cut that was scheduled to end on December 31. President Obama signed the legislation. However, the extension will only last two months so lawmakers will have to revisit the issue again in 2012. This means that for January and February of 2012, employers will continue to withhold 4.2% for FICA as they did for 2011 but will have to wait to see if that amount will increase to the historical 6.2% amount effective March 1.

● News

March 18
One Great Hour of Sharing
Order your free offering resources that support The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) so that it may respond immediately and effectively to emergencies around the world. When you give to One Great Hour of Sharing, you help to build the strong foundation on which all other UMCOR ministries are built. Because One Great Hour of Sharing covers UMCOR’s administrative costs, 100 percent of gifts designated for specific projects are used for those programs. When unprecedented tornadoes and floods ripped through the United States during the spring of 2011, UMCOR gave affected annual conferences immediate support because of your gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing. In less than two months, UMCOR disbursed about $250,000 in emergency grants to 15 United Methodist annual conferences across the United States. One Great Hour of Sharing’s support for UMCOR’s administrative costs means UMCOR can focus its efforts on bringing relief to survivors. Your gifts to the One Great Hour of Sharing, channeled through UMCOR, are a tangible expression of God’s love for people who suffer. They enable the church to answer Jesus’ command to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Historian of the Year Nominations and Church Anniversary Dates
The East Ohio Conference Commission on Archives and History is seeking nominations for the Local Church Historian of the Year Award. Nominations, along with supporting evidence of historical work and activity accomplished by the nominee, should be submitted by March 1. Local churches celebrating significant anniversaries of their founding (100, 125, 150, 175 and 200 years) are asked to send a letter on church stationery stating anniversary information by March 1. Please send information to: Rev. Don Trigg, 130 E. Walnut St., Galion, OH 44833. For further information you may call (330) 715-5504, or email DLT419@aol.com

● Mission Opportunities

Young Adult Missionaries
Address the causes of injustice and live the gospel alongside communities and organizations seeking peace by applying to become a US-2 or Mission Intern. Deadline extended to February 19, 2012.

General information here ►
Application form here ►

● Camps

Follow this link for new and events from East Ohio Camps ►

● Youth

June 15-17
Youth Annual Conference 2012
Plans are already underway for another amazing YAC! Our theme this year is "Set Free" based on the passage from Galatians 5:1.
Get more details here. ►

● Resources

Living Prayer Center
Do you have leaders in your church who need prayer or want to learn more about prayer? Visit the Living Prayer Center. This is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by Christian volunteers. Visitors to the site can leave a request to be prayed for by volunteers.

Free Choral Music
General choral anthems and Christmas and Lent Cantatas. Five boxes to go to a new home. Come look it over. Please call Galion St. Paul UMC at (419) 468-4557 or email: gspumc@rrohio.com

Scout Sunday
Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Camp Fire and Big Brothers Big Sisters groups sponsored by and/or meeting in your church will find Scout Sunday to be very memorable. Scout Sunday in the UMC is celebrated the second Sunday in February for Boy Scouts and the second Sunday in March for Girl Scouts. Your congregation can celebrate Scout Sunday any Sunday it selects. Scouting Ministries includes Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of the USA, Camp Fire USA and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
For more information.►

Lenten Study Resource
Are you looking for a good study resource for Lent? If so you might be interested in Derek Maul's Reaching Toward Easter. Walk with Jesus and the disciples as they move toward Jerusalem in 49 daily devotions that include in-depth Bible study, personal stories, and prayers.
For more information or to order. ►

Journey to Hope Lenten Resource
This Lent, Rethink Church invites you to lead your congregation on a Journey to Hope. We’ll travel with Jesus to the cross and discover the Hope that can be found amid life’s most difficult circumstances. This non-lectionary based sermon series is free and is accompanied by relational and relevant Bible experiences for children, youth, young adults and small groups. The series provides an opportunity for intergenerational faith conversations outside of worship and beyond the classroom setting. Videos and artwork for worship and outreach are also available in a multimedia bundle ($25) – helping you share the journey with the broader community. Journey to Hope is meant to be experienced with the entire congregation on Sunday morning. Order now! (USPS first-class shipping is free.) Find hope in your world, your life and your relationship with Jesus.

Clowns in Action
East Shore UMC’s Clowns in Action ministry serves the Lord with gladness. If you would like to bring smiles to the faces in your congregation or church small groups, schedule a date with the Clowns in Action. For more information, please call East Shore UMC at (216)261-1688.

Media Center
The Media Center recently acquired these DVD resources:

Sticky Faith This parent curriculum enables parents to instill a deep and lasting faith in their adolescents. The curriculum presents powerful strategies and practical ideas to help parents encourage their children's spiritual growth, enabling them to develop a faith that sticks.
Made to Crave Action Plan-This follow-up curriculum to Made to Crave will help women implement a long-term plan of action for healthy living. Women will be encouraged by Bible teaching, uplifted by testimonies and empowered with healthy living tips. The curriculum will help women who found their 'want to' by participating in the Made to Crave study master the 'how to' of living a healthy physical life as well as cultivating a rich and full relationship with God.
Three Simple Questions - Who Is God? Who Am I? Who Are We Together? How we answer these three simple questions has a big impact on what we believe, how we live, and how we relate to other people. This study, designed to help participants reinforce connections between the book and Scripture, is essential for creating a successful Three Simple Questions church wide study.
Foundations; God: 11 Core Truths to Build your Life On focuses on helping you 1) develop confidence that God's Word can be trusted and, 2) discover life-changing truth on your own. Sessions include: What is God Like?; God is Relational; God is a Trinity; and Characteristics of God
InSight:Twilight equips you to start a conversation with a cultural hot topic only to lead into a talk about the more important matters of the Christian faith. What does the author say? What does the story say? What does the Bible say? Complete with direct quotes from the author, an overview of major Mormon imagery in the series and discussion questions in the guides.

To reserve these or other resources, call the Media Center at 800-831-3972, ext. 139, send an e-mail to call the Media Center at 800-831-3972, ext. 139, send an e-mail to sarnold@eocumc.com or browse the resource library.