East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church

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THE EOC DISAFFILIATION AND SEPARATION PATHWAY

Bishop Tracy S. Malone Shares a Mission and Ministry Message with EOC Clergy and Laity

In her video message below Bishop Tracy S. Malone reminds us that the mission of Jesus Christ is alive in the East Ohio Conference amidst anxiety caused by the postponement until 2024 of the 2020 General Conference, and the uncertainty being experienced because of plans of disaffiliation and separation. We are on a journey to live into our shared vision of discipleship, evangelism, and transformation. Later in her message the Bishop reiterates that it has always been her hope and prayer that no one feels that they have to choose to leave or separate from The United Methodist Church. But should a church choose to disaffiliate this is the timeline for doing so:

April 3 – deadline to notify your superintendent and the bishop’s office in writing,
May 10 – deadline for district superintendents to schedule church conferences, and
May 20 – deadline for full disaffiliation cost payments to be received.

To download the video above, first click the share button in the upper right corner of the video window then click the Vimeo link.
Then, on the Vimeo page, click the download button underneath the video window.

In an earlier video message the Bishop outlined the disaffiliation and separation path the Conference will use as determined after consultation between the Bishop, the chancellor, the Board of Trustees president, the CCF&A chair, the Financial & Administrative Services executive director, the executive director of Connectional Ministries, and the executive assistant to the bishop.

What to Do if Your Church is Disaffiliating but You Are Not

Laity: visit a Lighthouse church in your area, a church dedicated to The United Methodist Church that is trained in welcoming people on a pilgrimage seeking a new church home.
Clergy: contact your district superintendent so you can be considered for another appointment after the church disaffiliates.
Retired Deacons/Elders: contact your district superintendent to establish a new charge conference relationship with a United Methodist church.

A Clergyperson’s Relationship to the EOC and The UMC

Clergy members of the East Ohio Annual Conference are bound together in a covenant relationship for accountability and support. As a part of this covenant, United Methodist clergy only serve in a ministerial capacity outside of The United Methodist Church with the expressed and written permission of the resident bishop.

A message from Bishop Malone, the Cabinet, and the Board of Ministry.

Resources from The United Methodist Church

Ask The UMC Series: Is The United Methodist Church really … ?
During this challenging time, misinformation about the church's official positions, how a church can exit, and what the future holds is causing added stress for many. Ask The UMC has created a series of FAQs designed to help dispel false information and provide accurate answers to the questions we are receiving. Click here to view the list of FAQs.