The mission of The United Methodist Church is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world”. The mission – our driving purpose, our why – was established by General Conference.
In 2025, as the Church began a new season, a new vision for The United Methodist Church was set by the Council of Bishops with the Connectional Table. The new vision directs where we are going and instructs how we will live into accomplishing our mission. It reflects both who we already are and God’s dream for us:
“The United Methodist Church forms disciples of Jesus Christ who, empowered by the Holy Spirit, love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.”
Love Boldly: we passionately love God and, like Jesus, embrace and include people of every age, nation, race, gender, and walk of life. (Matthew 22:37-39; John 13:34-35)
Serve Joyfully: with the heart of Christ, we journey alongside the most vulnerable among us, offering care and compassion with joy. (Psalm 100:1; Nehemiah 8:10; John 13:14-15; 1 Peter 4:10)
Lead Courageously: following the example of Jesus, we resist and dismantle all systems of evil, injustice, and oppression, striving for peace, justice, and reconciliation. (Joshua 1:9; Ephesians 6:10)
United Methodists are called to embrace the mission in their daily living and dream of the possibilities that God has placed before us through the vision.
Storyboard: Faith Witness Transformation is a podcast highlighting ministries across the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church that are transforming lives locally, nationally, and globally. Produced twice-a-month by EOC Communications, each podcast episode focuses on one of the core values of the #BeUMC campaign: Disciple Making; Belonging & Inclusion; Influence, Connection & Impact; and Experience of God through The United Methodist Church.
In Episode 67 Pastor Marc Tibbs of Akron Centenary United Methodist Church shares that since he was young, he’s struggled with hearing God call him into a life of ministry.
Tibbs shares, “Whenever I found myself close enough to a pastor I would always ask, ‘how do you know you have been called?’ When you ask people you get a myriad number of answers, and none of those answers I could identify with, but I just kept asking.”
As an adult he was still wrestling as he supported his daughter while she attended a Ministerial Recruitment Institute event. That night, one of the speakers asked, “who is struggling with a call to ministry?”
“That particular night when I thought about it, I heard the Holy Spirit say to me, ‘you know you’ve been called because you keep asking the question,’” Tibbs shared.
Listen to previous Storyboard podcast episodes.
A charge conference is an annual meeting of the leadership of a pastoral charge presided over by the district superintendent. The work of the charge conference includes reviewing the mission and ministries of the charge, adopting a budget for all congregations within the charge, recommending candidates for ordained, lay or other forms of ministry, setting salaries and compensation for pastors and staff appointed by the bishop, and more.
Charge conference dates for East Ohio districts are:
South Forest
Northern Waters
Central Valley
West Plains
MESSAGES FROM OUR EPISCOPAL LEADER: Bishop Hee-Soo Jung is resident bishop of the Ohio Episcopal Area consisting of the East Ohio and West Ohio Conferences of The United Methodist Church. View Bishop Jung’s Soul Food messages to Ohio laity and clergy.
OHIO EPISCOPAL AREA TASK TEAM:
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung formed the task team of East and West Ohio clergy and laity to actively listen, discuss, and discern about forming a new, unified Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church. Learn more about the Ohio Episcopal Area Task Team.
DISASTER RESPONSE: The East Ohio Conference responds when disasters strike working in unison with United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to do no harm and do good in assisting those whose lives are impacted by disasters of all kinds. Learn how you can support disaster recovery.
EOC STANDS AGAINST RACISM: Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, the Cabinet, Executive staff, and East Ohio laity and clergy are committed to stand against racism. Visit the Stand Against Racism resource page for small group studies, videos, podcasts, books, and more to learn how you can stand against racism.
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