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STRATEGIC MINISTRIES

The work of the office of Strategic Ministries is building upon the office of Congregational Vitality that preceded it. When it was announced in the spring of 2021 that the bishop intended to appoint the director of Congregational Vitality to be the superintendent of an East Ohio Conference district, the bishop and director of Connectional Ministries began intentional conversations with the Cabinet, the Board of Congregational Development, the Personnel Committee, and other East Ohio Conference leaders to discern the best way forward in serving the changing ministry contexts of EOC pastors, congregations, and faith communities.

The work of the office of Strategic Ministries is aligned with our shared East Ohio Conference vision of how we can each best live into the mission of The United Methodist Church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

The East Ohio Conference equips and supports pastors, congregations, and faith communities to grow in their capacity to bear fruit that lasts by being disciples of Jesus Christ and making and maturing disciples of Jesus Christ.

Discipleship is truly at the heart of all that we do. Without disciples, transformation of ourselves, our communities, and our world are impossible. The director of Strategic Ministries works with the other directors in the Connectional Ministries office to make disciples by transforming leaders within the church.

The East Ohio Conference equips and supports pastors, congregations, and faith communities to grow in their capacity to bear fruit that lasts by being God’ agents of transformation in our communities and throughout the world.

We are called to be agents of transformation, and also to be transformed ourselves. However, often when called to transformation we have a hard time finding our path forward. One way the office of Strategic Ministries is assisting communities be transformed is by working with cooperative parishes to help them reclaim their roles in transformation as well as to discover a new and creative path forward to both being disciples and making disciples. Cooperative parishes should not be seen as something we must do, but rather as an opportunity for transformation and empowering of disciples regardless of the size of their congregations.

The East Ohio Conference equips and supports pastors, congregations, and faith communities to grow in their capacity to bear fruit that lasts by being bold and courageous in reaching new people, younger people, and a more diverse people.

Being bold and courageous leaders is a difficult task. So, to help EOC leaders live into this call, the office of Strategic Ministries is continuing the work begun by the Congregation Vitality office by providing coaches for clergy and churches to help them grow into the leaders God means them to be. We will also continue to provide trainings to help leaders continue to grow, adapt, vision, and be healthy.

The office of Strategic Ministries will continue to find ways to help all communities, churches, laity, and clergy to live into our mission and vision.