BISHOP'S OFFICE
1. Prayer-Centered Discernment
The appointment system is not primarily an administrative process, but a spiritual act of discernment. Appointments are made through prayerful collaboration among the bishop, district superintendents, and Conference leaders, acting as one Cabinet, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
2. Faithful Matching of Gifts and Missional Needs
Appointments seek not mere placement, but missional alignment. Clergy gifts, theological grounding, personality, and experience are prayerfully matched with the mission, context, challenges, and future vision of each congregation.
3. Honoring Ordination Vows and the Open Itinerant Tradition
At ordination, clergy covenant to serve within the appointment system. While social, economic, and family realities are carefully considered, the Church remains committed to fairness, openness, and the historic itinerant tradition of The United Methodist Church.
4. Transparent Dialogue and Equitable Opportunity
Through honest conversation between clergy and district superintendents, conditions and concerns may be named. At the same time, the appointment system must ensure equitable opportunity across the whole Conference, grounded in objectivity and shared responsibility.
5. Sustaining a Year-Round Appointment Pipeline
Clergy supply is a continual challenge and responsibility. The Conference commits to strengthening a year-round pipeline that allows for timely, coordinated, and responsive appointments whenever opportunities arise.
6. Open, Timely, and Rigorous Clergy Recruitment
In recruiting from seminaries, other conferences, and other denominations, the appointment system requires swift, careful, and transparent processes of evaluation, ensuring both missional openness and integrity.
7. Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The appointment system embodies the Church’s commitment to racial diversity, gender equity, and the full inclusion of all persons. Cross-racial and cross-cultural appointments are affirmed as a vital strength and a faithful witness to God’s justice and grace.
8. Shared Trust and Cabinet Accountability
Appointments are not determined by individual authority or dominance. They emerge from mutual trust, listening, and accountability among Cabinet members, grounded in prayer, respect, and shared discernment.
9. Cross-Conference Appointments and Faithful Risk-Taking
As East Ohio and West Ohio move toward deeper connection, the appointment system becomes a gateway to new possibilities. Cross-conference appointments are actively considered, accompanied by faithful risk-taking and bold vision.
10. Strategic Appointments for New Communities
The appointment system is a primary instrument for church planting and the formation of new faith communities. The Conferences and districts share responsibility for deploying strong leaders and investing resources toward the goal of establishing 100 new faith communities across Ohio.
11. Integrating Clergy, Lay Ministers, and Specialized Ministries Leaders
Appointments recognize the vital partnership of ordained clergy, lay ministers, and specialized professionals. District committees and the wider clergy community collaborate openly to support clergy well-being and sustainable ministry.
12. Minimum Tenure, Mentoring, and Long-Term Fruitfulness
A minimum tenure of five years is honored whenever possible, enabling clergy to lead faithfully, innovate courageously, and nurture congregational growth. Mentoring and peer mentoring are embedded within the appointment system to strengthen discipleship, vitality, and long-term fruitfulness in local churches.
Concluding Affirmation
The appointment system is not perfect. Yet it remains a foundational expression of United Methodist connectional theology – a means by which God continues to open new possibilities for the Church’s mission, witness, and future.
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung announces the following clergy appointments and/or
changes of status which, unless otherwise noted, are effective July 1, 2026.
2025-2026 Appointments |
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| Pastor | Appointment | District | Effective |
| Don Ackerman | Extension Ministry: Canton For All People | Central Valley | 1/1/2026 |
| Armando Arellano | Euclid East Shore & Willowick Shoregate UMCs | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Marcus Atha | Elyria First UMC | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Steve Bailey | Johnson UMC | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| William Baker | LaPorte & Cornerstone UMCs | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Jarrod Blood | Ashtabula First & Amboy UMCs | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Edgar Brady | Painesville UMC | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| John Bramley | Canal Lewisville & West Lafayette UMCs | South Forest | 7/1/2025 |
| Marelize Bruner | Ashland Christ UMC | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Dan Bryant | Interim: Howland, Braceville, Brookfield, Hubbard, McDonald UMCs | Central Valley | 1/1/2026 |
| Megan Buehler | Vienna & Coalburg UMCs | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Dawan Buie | Aldersgate & Willson UMCs | Northern Waters | 1/1/2026 |
| Joseph Burkhardt | Garfield Memorial UMC – Executive Pastor | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Janice Bye | Hopewell UMC & Shippensburg University (Susquehanna Conference of The UMC) | 7/1/2025 | |
| Robert Carson | Middlefield UMC | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Jesse Chapman-Secrest | Niles New Hope & Howland UMCs | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Jeff Coggins | The Vine UMC | Central Valley | 9/1/2025 |
| Kelly Collins | LeRoy & Chippewa Church at the Lake UMCs | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Jennifer Darling-Mellott | Columbia UMC | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Matt Darrin | Braceville, Brookfield, Howland, Hubbard and McDonald Woodland Park UMCs | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Matt Darrin | Carrollton First UMC | South Forest | 1/1/2026 |
| Kevin Daugherty | Cadiz Scott Memorial & Scio UMCs | South Forest | 7/1/2025 |
| Lori Douglas Weaver | New London, Savannah & Olivesburg UMCs | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Nichole Fewell | Strongsville UMC Director of Communications & Digital Ministries | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Anne Fisher | Greentown & Uniontown UMCs | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Lindsey Funtik | Strongsville UMC – Associate Pastor | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Kyle Gould | OhioGuidestone, Behavorial Health Specialist | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Aimee Hare | Smithville, Wooster Church of the Cross, Moreland, & Apple Creek UMCs | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Clarence Hensel | Mt. Vernon Hopewell & Danville UMCs | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Bruce Hitchcock | Willoughby Hills UMC | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Jeri Johnson | Greentown & Uniontown UMCs | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Walt Jones | Macksburg & Mary Reed UMCs | South Forest | 7/1/2025 |
| Brandon Keck | Medical Leave | South Forest | 10/31/25 |
| Ken Kelley | Nova UMC | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Vicki Kelley | Medical Leave | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Matthew Lafferty | Extension Ministry: Global Ministries Missionary/Director of Methodist Ecumenical Office in Rome | West Plains | 9/1/2025 |
| James Lance | Smithville, Wooster Church of the Cross, Moreland, & Apple Creek UMCs | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Christopher Liberati | Mt. Vernon Gay Street & Green Valley UMCs | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Scott Low | Tallmadge & Stow UMCs | Northern Waters | 1/1/2026 |
| Leslie Mahaney | Fostoria Circuit | Maumee River (West Ohio) | 7/1/2025 |
| Larry Marshall | Avon Lakeshore UMC | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| David McGrath | Seville UMC | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Craig Moock | Galena & Rural Chapel UMCs | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Shannon Pitorak | Continuum Care Hospice Chaplain | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Tennille Power | North Olmsted & Rockport UMCs | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Joan Purnell | Interim: Howland, Braceville, Brookfield, Hubbard, McDonald UMCs | Central Valley | 1/1/2026 |
| Scott Racut | Madison Park, Madison Chapel & Perry UMCs | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Lindsay Robinson | Melmore, Republic Trinity, Sycamore, Tiffin St. Pauls, & Tiffin Faith UMCs | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Devani Roe | Antrim, Salesville, Lore City, Chalfant’s Chapel, Quaker City, Winterset, Old Washington, Fairview, Ninth Street & Senecaville UMCs | South Forest | 7/1/2025 |
| Tyler Rollinson | Malvern & Waynesburg Centenary UMCs | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Anthony Ruth | Garfield Heights UMC | Northern Waters | 1/1/2026 |
| Darla Schnegg | Tiltonsville, Brilliant, Martins Ferry & Rayland UMCs | South Forest | 7/1/2025 |
| Andrew Scott | Bedford Hope & Solon UMCs | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Amy Shaw | Greentown & Uniontown UMCs | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Richard Smith | Southington UMC | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| JP Snyder | Ontario & St. Paul UMCs | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Yong Ok Son (OR) | Han Madang Korean UMC | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Rebecca Stephens | Mayfield UMC – Associate Pastor | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Christy Suffecool | New Leaf, Bulah Calvary, & Monroe UMCs | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Karen Tate | Lincoln Avenue UMC | South Forest | 7/1/2025 |
| Lisa Thomas | Garfield Heights & Independence UMCs | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Amy Vittorio | New Concord UMC | South Forest | 7/1/2025 |
| Jan Walsh | Mt. Tabor UMC | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Scott Walsh | Westbrook Park UMC | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Michael Ward | York UMC | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Ben Weisbrod | Chapel Hills & Three Crosses UMCs | West Plains | 7/1/2025 |
| Hannah Weisbrod | Harbor and Bridge Community Center, Projects Coordinator | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Peg Welch | Crosspoint UMC | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Bill Wendell | Extension Ministry: House of the Carpenter | South Forest | 7/1/2025 |
| Jennifer Wellington | Girard & Niles First UMCs | Central Valley | 7/1/2025 |
| Matthew Whisenhunt | Extension Ministry: Harbor and Bridge | Northern Waters | 1/1/2026 |
| Dennis Williams | Ava, Mt. Ephraim & Sarahsville UMCs | South Forest | 7/1/2025 |
| Paul Wilson | Wedgewood & Akron First UMCs | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| James Winkler | Concord Hope Ridge | Northern Waters | 7/1/2025 |
| Mary Jo Yeakel (West Ohio) | Crossroads UMC | Central Valley | 1/1/2026 |
| Lisa Zambarano | Pearl Road UMC | Northern Waters | 10/1/2025 |
2025-2026 Retirements |
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| Pastor | Retiring From | District | Effective |
| Joel Adkins | Westbrook Park UMC | Central Valley | 6/30/2025 |
| Michael Alexander | 6/11/2025 | ||
| J. Jamison Brunk | West Liberty UMC (Kentucky Conference) | 6/30/2025 | |
| Janice Bye | Extension Ministry | 6/30/2025 | |
| Robert Carson | Middlefield UMC | Northern Waters | 1/1/2026 |
| Donald Ebert | Galion St. Paul UMC | West Plains | 6/30/2025 |
| Dan Eggan | Fresno & Isleta UMCs | South Forest | 6/30/2025 |
| Van Fisher | Batesville & Barnesville First UMCs | South Forest | 6/30/2025 |
| DeBorah Graham | Family Leave | 6/30/2025 | |
| Russell Ham | New Leaf, Monroe & Bulah Calvary UMCs | Northern Waters | 6/30/2025 |
| Donald Kuntz | Seville UMC | West Plains | 6/30/2025 |
| Joyce Lawson | Chagrin Falls UMC | Northern Waters | |
| Teresa McHugh | Garfield Memorial | Northern Waters | 6/30/2025 |
| Nestor Nazario | Extension Ministry: District Superintendent | West Plains | 6/30/2025 |
| Bradford Price | Extension Ministry: Stepping Stone Community Services | Northern Waters | 6/30/2025 |
| Cynthia Theobald | Solon UMC | Northern Waters | 6/30/2025 |
| Philip Wilden | New Concord UMC | South Forest | 6/30/2025 |
| Tamara Wilden | Family Leave | South Forest | 6/30/2025 |
| Hoyte Wilhelm | North Olmsted UMC | Northern Waters | 6/30/2025 |
| James Winkler | Painesville UMC | Northern Waters | 6/30/2025 |
| Bev Wrobel | Ohio Living Breckenridge Village | Northern Waters | 6/30/2025 |
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung
Resident Bishop
Melissa McGee
Executive Secretary to the Bishop
Ext. 112
Rev. Ed Peterson
Executive Assistant to the Bishop
Ext. 111
The East Ohio Conference Office:
located in North Canton, OH,
near Akron-Canton Airport.
Address:
8800 Cleveland Ave. NW
North Canton, OH 44720
Phone:
(330) 499-3972
Office Hours:
Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
© East Ohio Conference. All Rights Reserved.
